what's the big deal?
by julamei
Summary: Natsu's sexual awakening is clumsy and downright embarrassing. What will he do when confronted with something he can't ignore and that might, shock and horror, intrigue him? Adorable and repressed NaLu and their journey around the bases.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Natsu is a huge perv, but then again he's basically a middle-school boy. (Age is just a number!) I'm really curious about his (and Lucy's) sexual awakening, so here's a short, embarrassing story about it.

* * *

"what's the big deal?"

\- ] chapter 1 [ -

It was a normal night. Natsu fell asleep at the guildhall after an unusually large dinner, only to be woken up by Mira after she'd finished her nightly cleaning duties.

"Wah?" Natsu mumbled sleepily, wiping the drool from his face. Mira smiled down at the boy, took hold of his shoulders, and leaned him back away from the tabletop.

"Time to go home, Natsu. Either go sleep in one of the guest rooms or get out of here – you know the rules," Mira explained gently.

"Yeah yeah," he replied, rubbing his face. "Where's Happy?"

"He walked with Charle and Wendy when they went home a few hours ago. Lisanna wanted to wake you up earlier, but I thought I'd let you sleep for a little."

Natsu smiled up at her. "Thanks, Mira. I guess I needed it… I'll be going now." He yawned, stretching languidly, then pushed the bench back to stand. Slinging his pack over his shoulders, he called a goodnight to Mira as he walked through the doors.

] | [

It must've been past midnight, he decided. The air had an insubstantial quality to it, warm but as if it hadn't made up its mind to commit to full-on heat yet. That made sense though, he supposed, since it was just the end of spring anyway. His mind woke up a bit on his walk through town, but he didn't realize he wasn't going to his house until he found himself along the familiar canal.

Staring up at Lucy's window, he had to agree with his subconscious – Lucy's was much closer and much more comfortable. Especially since Happy wouldn't be back at home! He didn't want to walk all the way there just to be alone…

He threw his pack up as high as he could then scaled the façade to rest on the beam below her window. Leaning his arm out, he caught his pack as it began its descent. Lucy had the sheer curtains drawn across her open window, so she must have been feeling the heat, too. He parted them, getting a whiff of her scent, then looked around the studio. Lucy was sleeping quietly on her bed to his right, so he hopped right in and softly set down his pack.

"Stupid Lucy leaving me at the guild," he mumbled as he toed out of his sandals and made his way over to the bed. _If she didn't want company_, he mused,_ she should've gotten a smaller bed._

However, the boy froze, perched mid-slump onto the mattress, because when he went to lift up the sheet that covered his partner, he discovered that her top had twisted from what he supposed were her movements to find relief from the new heat. One of her breats was completely exposed above the tangled tanktop, and the other was only just covered.

Sure, he'd seen her chest plenty of times, and she did like to show it off from what he could tell, but seeing her chest bare in the dark and quiet of her room, while she was sleeping and they were alone… it felt different. The air was still, her room was warm, and her scent surrounded them. He couldn't just brush it off with other distractions like he always did when something like this came up. And anyway, as he looked down at her, the sight was… interesting.

Lucy's chest was a part of her, like her hair and her eyes and her keys. But people made such a big deal about it! All the males at the guild, and even most of the females had remarked at one point or another how well-endowed his partner was. What was the big deal, anyway? They were just boobs. Plenty of women at the guild had a nice set of boobs. There wasn't really anything that remarkable about hers or boobs in general – plain skin covering a mound of flesh and muscle. How was it different than her shoulder or the creamy skin of her legs? Sure, she had really nice skin, really soft, too, but why was her chest so legendary around the guild? Natsu thought her eyes were way prettier, and much more Lucy (if that made sense).

As he studied her (unabashedly, mind you) he noticed that the peak of her breast was a light pink that he found quite adorable. The shade fit right into the color scheme that was Lucy – bright yellows, pale skin, light pinks, chocolate eyes. He found himself nodding his head at the understanding. She made sense to him, and even this new part of her seemed right.

Natsu knelt carefully on the bed. Resting his weight on his hands right beside Lucy's warm body, Natsu leaned over to get a closer look at her chest. She was lying on her side, and it didn't give him the best perspective. He looked up at her face, taking in the relaxed muscles and even breathing. He could tell she was very much asleep. If it had been closer to morning he would've been afraid she might wake up, but it was the dead of the night and he knew her sleeping habits. She wouldn't wake for hours.

He gently nudged her shoulder so she was lying on her back. Her head snuggled to the side into her pillow, and she grumbled something in her throat but didn't wake up. With her arms spead away from her body in an attempt to keep cool, she left her chest completely unguarded. Natsu found himself lowering the strap off her other shoulder to expose the rest of her chest.

He would never understand why he did that at that moment. There had been other, much more compromising situations that they'd been in, but tonight was different. He wasn't thinking about sex or how sexy she looked (he rarely thought about that stuff). He was just curious. His body wasn't even responding to the sight of her like that, it was just something new and different that he wanted to explore. But it was Lucy, and somehow he felt he had a right to know anything and everything about her – even this.

He let out the breath he didn't know he was holding as he stared down at his best friend's breasts. Did everyone at the guild who talked about her chest know that she looked like thist? Moon-white, smooth skin rounding over two large curves, topped with small, pink buds – she was certainly nicely shaped and definitely very large. Only a handful of the girls at Fairy Tail, and he supposed none of the boys besides himself and Gray, had seen her naked.

He cocked his head to one side then raised his hand. He very lightly ran a finger along the outside of a breast, marveling at how soft both her skin was. Natsu glanced back up at her sleeping face before pressing several of his fingers into the malleable flesh. He sucked in a breath – nothing had ever felt like that before! He grew up around girls, fought with Lucy and Erza all the time, and had touched pretty much every part of both of them. Sure, he'd brushed against Lucy's chest – even grabbed it on one occasion – but he wasn't really paying attention then. And when he'd come in contact with their rears, well, those were soft, too, but much more muscular then Lucy's breast felt. It might be the softest thing he'd ever felt (besides Happy's fur when it was newly washed), and it was definitely the most supple.

He knew Lucy wasn't going to wake up, but the sudden urge to really grope her embarrassed him. Now that he had an idea of just what her chest felt like, he wanted to really know. So far he'd examined the look of her, and just barely touched her. He took a deep breath and steadied his weight to his knees and ankles. Excitement coursed through him; he knew he shouldn't do these things without permission, but this was Lucy! He knew everything about her; this was just something more (and she'd never know anyway). He was just curious… he wasn't going to hurt her or anything.

As his hands gently enveloped her chest, cupping their large, weighty form, he made a strange, strangled noise in his thoat. She was so soft, so wonderful, so perfect. He squeezed gently, losing himself with playing and enjoying the feel of them. Suddenly, he found himself frozen for the second time that night. Lucy had made a small noise herself. He looked up at her face (with his hands stilled, grasping her breasts) when she repeated the noise, like a whine, and arched her back a bit, pushing her chest into his hands. Her eyes were still closed, but her mouth was parted slightly, her cheeks were flushed, and her brows were drawn together in what Natsu would've thought was pain if he weren't completely, instinctively sure to the core was genuine pleasure.

Lucy liked it. The understanding thundered through his body like adrenaline and lit up a sharp, unexpected spark in the bottom of his belly. He held back a moan in answer to hers and this newfound knowledge. He had never seen Lucy make that face, nothing even close to that face. It was a secret face, he knew, and the thought that he witnessed it – that he made her look like that! – made him growl in pleasure of his own. He felt his groin tighten with this new awareness, but he shook his head. He didn't want to do that right now! He couldn't be distracted. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Lucy's face relaxed at the lack of stimulation and she blew out a gentle breath, falling back into deep, oblivious sleep. Her golden hair gleemed in the dim light from the streetlamps, and Natsu mentally took stock of himself. His body was on fire (thankfully not literally). He was poised above his best friend, in her bed, at night, with her tanktop yanked down to her stomach and his hands full of her chest.

He snickered a little as he calmed down. _Man, Lucy is going to kill me!_ He laughed internally. Oh well.

He grinned down at her, but his face slackened as he caught sight of his hands, darkened from being outside and calloused from work and general neglect, caressing Lucy's pale, delicate flesh. She was just so feminine. The whole experience was driving home just how feminine his partner was, no matter how much he had thought of her (of everyone, really) as non-sexual. He was slow in his ministrations – he didn't want to wake Lucy! – but he wasn't ready to stop yet. She responded again after a couple of moments by arching her back once more and quietly moaning. Natsu smirked but continued to slowly knead her breasts. There was something hypnotizing about the situation, and it was so exciting and fun. Natsu watched as her rosey nipples hardened and he found it very intriguing. He brushed his thumb over a nipple and Lucy immediately gasped. The sound ignited flames down along his neck and spine and his pants grew more uncomfortable. That noise enthralled him, and Lucy was making that pain-pleasure face again, and he couldn't stop himself from rolling that same nipple between his thumb and forefinger. His breathing became labored with excitement as he watched her reactions and each of her small, desperate sounds were ripping away the locks to his inhibitions.

But then he smelled something he'd only smelled a handful of times in the past – the smell of Lucy's excitement. He looked down at her, taking in her quick breathes, the flushed skin from her cheeks to her neck to her chest, and he saw her legs rubbing together under her sleeping shorts. Her body was stretched out before him, warm and fragrant from head to toe. He gently released her breasts and sat back, looking at her, and shook his head.

_This wasn't fair to Lucy_, he thought. She didn't know this was happening. For all this meant to him, for as much as he would never hurt her, he didn't have her consent to be touching her like this. This completely new and exciting discovery… He didn't have the right to do this, whether or not he was her partner and her best friend. This was for Lucy to share, not for him to take.

Natsu hung his head, and straightened her top without look at her face. After covering her with the thin sheet and blanket, he laid down on top of the covers and fell asleep, acutely aware of but trying his best to ignore the girl beside him.

] | [

Natsu awoke to a noisy Lucy.

"Natsu! What are you doing in my bed?" She screeched, hitting him the face with a pillow. He groaned and turned over, inhaling deeply only to have the memories of the night before rush back to him. The bed smelled like her… and him. The scent caused his heart to skip a beat and his stomach tumble. It wasn't a new aroma for him, but this morning is was especially fantastic.

Lucy grabbed the pillow and beat him again with it. "Lu-cy!" He whined and tried to cover himself with his arms. She didn't relent, so he stole the pillow and, without looking, bashed her in the face with it.

There was a pause.

He sat up and laughed loudly, pointing at her and saying "Your face!" Which, in all fairness, was red and hilarious.

"Natsu, it's not proper for you to sleep in the same bed as I do!" She yelled some more, huffing and hugging the pillow to her. She sat cross-legged on the mattress and glared at him.

"Oh come on, Luce. I fell asleep at the guild and didn't want to walk all the way home!" He explained. _I will take the secret of last night to the grave_, he whispered in his mind. "So I came here. It's so much closer."

She narrowed her eyes even further. "Natsu, that does not make us – a boy and a girl – sleeping in the same small bed okay!" Really, she was so adorable when she was exasperated like this, but her words actually made sense to him this time. There was a short pause while his mind registered the sight of her small, very feminine body hiding behind the large pillow.

_Her body is her secret_, Natsu thought. _She's not ready to share yet. _He hummed in annoyance then stood up.

"Yeah yeah, Luce. Get up already, I'm hungry!" He said, turning his back to her and walking to her kitchen. "I'll make some toast! Do you have any of that fire jelly?" He rummaged through her small refrigerator as he waited for her to get up.

From her post on the bed, Lucy blushed at the domesticity of his actions. She was glad his back was to her so he wouldn't notice, but she couldn't help but feel warmed by his presense and behavior. It was nice, being like this with him. _Just be glad I don't tell Erza_, she thought deviously. The thought of Erza's violence made her smile, and she unfurled her legs, bounding off the bed to meet him.

] | [

There was an unintentional consequence to his secret escapade: he couldn't stop thinking about Lucy's face when he touched her or the soft weight of her chest in his hands. Or the sounds she'd made. Or that smell…

Interacting with her those first couple days after that night was pure hell. He did his best to act normal, but how could he? He knew things about her that she didn't know he knew. And the awareness would creep up on him suddenly and seemingly out of nowhere. One moment everything was fine and they were just hanging out, and the next, he found himself looking at her and remembering what her skin felt like. What was the point in knowing that secret side of her if he couldn't share it with her? It was a useless, taunting, evil secret.

"What's bugging you, Natsu?" Lisanna asked from behind the bar. She tilted her head to the side as she looked at him quizzically. "You've been brooding."

Natsu sighed and looked away from where Lucy was laughing with Levy. "It's nothing. Just having trouble sleeping recently."

Lisanna hummed in agreement as she grabbed a glass and filled it with beer. "Yeah, I know what you mean. The summer is coming with a vengeance this year – it's normally not this hot yet. Especially at night!" She offered the beer to Elfman, who smiled at her in thanks. She missed the faint blush that Natsu quickly tamped down.

"Yeah, and Happy's been spending more time with Charle and Wendy." If he focused on that emotion he wouldn't be reminded of other things. It was a tactic that had always served him well in the past. Lisanna smiled at him and gave him another bowl of fire-roasted nuts.

"Oh Natsu, don't pout!" She laughed. "Happy's just not used to being love. He'll learn how to balance the new relationship with yours, don't worry." Natsu said nothing in response, just chomped down more food.

"Hey Lucy, how's the rent coming?" He heard Gray ask his teammate from off to his left. Lucy looked up at Gray and thought for a moment.

"It's alright," she answered slowly. He took a seat across from her and Levy. "Yeah?"

"Well, I'm only a little short, but I do need to get groceries at the end of the week… Is there a request you saw?" Lucy's voice washed over Natsu and, drawn by it, he walked over to their table. Happy circled above Natsu's head, then landed on his shoulder before they both sat down.

"Yeah, Luce, we should all go on another mission," he chimed in. Natsu knew he could shake off this new awareness in the familiarity of old routine. He looked over at Gray to see how the boy would answer Lucy's question about a request when he caught Gray staring at her chest. Fiery indignation swelled within Natsu. _How dare he?_ How dare Gray look at Lucy like that? Natsu pictured her sleeping form beneath him, like she had been that night, her breasts exposed and her body squirming slightly under his hands. Gray had no right to see her like that! No right to imagine it!

"Gray, you ice-bastard!" He yelled, yanking up the ice mage and shoving him hard.

"Natsu!" He heard Lucy and Levy yell.

"Yeah, flame-brain, what the hell?" Gray shouted in the commotion. Natsu just growled and shoved Gray up against a pillar. Gray quickly decided to just go with it and swung hard to hit his pink-haired teammate. Natsu ducked then punched Gray hard in the stomach.

"Alright, that's enough!" Erza's shout piered Natsu's rage and Gray's growing ire. The two parted, breathing heavily, and watched their serious friend stomp over to them. Lucy hovered behind Erza's shoulder, looking concerned and upset.

"I don't know what happened, Erza! I asked Gray a question and then Natsu came over and just went after him." She griped. Lucy's dark eyes found Natsu's. "Just what were you thinking?"

Natsu looked away from her. What could he say? He blushed slightly and decided to go with the truth. "He was looking at your chest," he mumbled into his scarf with his arms crossed. Like a bucket of ice water had dropped on all of them, the shock of that statement washed the previous hostility away. The stunned silence was broken, however, by a keening wail.

"Love rival!" An engraged Juvia yelled, her face flushed with furious jealousy.

"Juvia, no! It's- it's not like that," Lucy tried to console her friend.

"Juvia!" Erza yelled, pulling Juvia to the side. Natsu looked at Gray and glared, but the other mage put up his hands. "Hey man, I'm sorry. I can't help it." This just further incensed Natsu, who moved to shove the other boy once more.

"Natsu!" Lucy barked again. He felt her pull at his shoulders and he let her. He would never fight her. She turned him around to face her, but he didn't break eye contact with the ice mage. She grumbled something under her breath, then he felt her fingers at his jaw. She moved his face to lock eyes with him. "Natsu, calm down!" Being this close to her soothed him, and the worry in her face had him dropping his arms. "Good," she said. Her eyes warmed a little at him, and his rage melted away.

"I'm sorry, Lucy," he mumbled. "He just shouldn't look at you like that." They heard Juvia sob heartbrokenly somewhere behind them.

Lucy blushed. "Natsu… It's okay. Sometimes guys can't help it." She looked away, her face red and he felt her hands shake a little where they rested on his shoulders. She took a step back. "It's only normal, he didn't mean anything by it." She looked over at Gray. "Right?"

Gray coughed and nearly shouted, "Yeah, no! It doesn't mean anything!" Natsu glared at his male teammate. He decided he was being sincere, but for some reason that made Natsu feel sick instead of better. _How could you look at Lucy and not appreciate her? _He growled and spun around. "Whatever," he said. "Happy! Let's go!" he called to his friend as he walked to the doors.

"What was that?" Lucy asked into the silence. Happy flew right next to her ear and sang loudly, "He liiiiiikes you!" before taking off into the air at top speed.

"Why you little—!" Lucy shouted after him. Happy just cackled and flew to meet Natsu.

Lucy sighed. "But maybe he actually does," Gray said to her in a disbelieving tone.

Lucy rounded on him, sticking a finger into his chest. "You! What were you doing perving on me?" She yelled at him. Gray grimaced, stepping back and waving his hands in innocence.

"I didn't mean to, Lucy!" He said. "You just look really nice today," he added weakly. Lucy felt her embarrassment spread warmth from her face down to the topic of their conversation. _What a line._ "Gray, I swear to the gods, the next time I catch you ogling me, I will personally beat the crap out of you." Lucy turned and went to make a dramatic exit, when she saw Erza leaning over their blue-haired nakama.

"What happened to Juvia?" Lucy asked.

"I had to knock her out," Erza answered, making Lucy groan. _This guild!_

\- ] | [ -

* * *

A/N: Doesn't Natsu seem like he'd be super weird about sex but also super sentimental? I think I'm going to write another chapter or so, but in case I don't I figured this could be a one-shot. Hope you enjoyed : )

Also, I wanted to thank the guest who reviewed: I considered the comments and am in agreement, so I went ahead and made the changes - thank you for support! I appreciate all of the reviewers for taking the time to give me feedback. Thank you thank you!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I just want to say thank you so much for the review, favs, and follows. I've never had so many people respond to something I've written, and I can't tell you how much it means to me. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Constructive criticism/feedback is greatly appreciated! Also, I tend to revise my work a bunch, so chances are that I'm going to revise this chapter at least once in the next couple days - if I do that, I'll put a note up here as to the date I change something.

Minor update, February 17: forgot Lucy had a couch (oops), so Natsu sleeps there instead of the floor.

* * *

"what's the big deal?"

\- ] chapter 2 [ -

For the first time in his life, Natsu didn't want to be around anyone. He avoided the guildhall, and found himself instead wandering the woods behind his house. The scent of the forest, the coolness of the shade in light of the recent heat, and the soft mossy ground took him back to his childhood with Igneel, and it comforted him in a way that he really needed right now.

Things were changing in how he felt about his partner, and he hated change – especially with something as important as Lucy! It made his heart hurt as he thought back to meeting her in Hargeon, finding her in the thick of things on that boat with that bastard, and consequentially destroying the harbor and running away with her. The day she joined Fairy Tail was possibly his favorite day ever, after his own induction, and he had the picture of them with the date tacked up on a wall in his house. Everything changed for him that day, in a good way. He made sure every year to mark the anniversary with some type of celebration. Whatever her life had been before he met her, he would make damn sure she knew how special she was to him now. Some part of him knew they'd be best friends and that neither of them would ever be alone again.

But now best friends didn't feel like enough. He was constantly alert of her presence, like a beacon keeping him aware of the shore. And what used to be casual interactions became mind-fucks.

"Levy, have you been reading that book about the wizards?"

Lucy and Levy sat at one of the tables, nonchalantly picking at a plate of cheese dip and crackers. Levy nodded. "Yeah, I love how different their magic is – what would it be like to have to use wands?" She laughed.

Natsu rolled his eyes at the bookworms. "Seriously, Lucy, let's go do something fun!" He grabbed her shoulder to gain her attention. He sucked in a breath at the feel of her smooth, cool shoulder beneath his fingers and even the touch of her palm as she pushed him away burned his skin the way fire never had. So much of her skin was exposed!

Flipping her hair with the same hand, Lucy turned to him and smiled. "Sure, it's been pretty boring recently. Why don't you go check the board for a good mission? We can leave later tonight or tomorrow if you find something." She frowned and then muttered, "It's never too early to start saving for my rent."

Natsu's heart stuttered at her smile, and there was a moment's pause as her words registered. He felt a grin split his face in answer. "Yes! Get ready world, Team Natsu's on their way!" He ignored his thoughts about Lucy's cool, soft skin and focused on the excitement of an upcoming adventure. Pumped his fist in the air, he called "Come on, Happy!" before bounding over to the request board.

Lucy smiled at their backs. She turned to see Levy looking at her strangely. "What?"

"Lu-chan, you're adorable. Natsu is lucky to have you." Lucy blushed. "What do you mean by that?"

Levy laughed. "Lu-chan, Natsu is impossible to put with for almost everyone else we know. Yet you," she punctuated the word with a pointed finger, "you only have to smile and the boy is like a celestial key in your hands – bound to your will."

Lucy spluttered and felt the skin on her face heat nearly to melting point. "Levy-chan, don't say those things! Natsu and I are partners, of course we get along." The girl shrugged a shoulder. "Plus, missions with him are almost always fun. Happy can be a bit much, but I'm used to the shitty cat."

Levy shook her head at ther friend. "Whatever you say, Lu-chan." After sneaking a sideways glance at the blonde, she added, "and there are other fun things you can do with Natsu besides missions!" Lucy squeaked loudly, her face burning, and playfully pushed the blunette.

Of course, Natsu wasn't so far away that he didn't hear the girls' entire conversation. The requests in front of him blurred while he listened. Did girls always talk about this kind of stuff? Happy flew in front of him, but he continued to ignore his feathered friend and listen.

"Levy, just because you and Gajeel are more adult in your interactions doesn't mean the rest of us have sex on our brains!" _Take that, Levy!_ Lucy thought evilly and was rewarded by the reddening face of her best friend.

_Sex?_ Natsu blushed. Gajeel had slept with Levy? The idea was repulsive – the guy wore steel in his skin – but also interesting; how had he gotten that to happen? Levy was pretty and nice, and Gajeel was… ew. He looked over at Lucy. His mind conjured the vision of her beneath him, half-naked and flushed, but then the image changed and Lucy's eyes were open, half-lidded and looking at him with longing. The thought struck his heart like a blow. He wanted that. The words sunk into skin and reverberated through his consciousness. _He wanted that._

] | [

Natsu's steps faltered as an echo of that feeling sung through his body at present. Alone in the woods, he let himself indulge in the fantasy of Lucy being awake as he touched her. Beneath him, she'd lift up her arms to sift her fingers through his hair and rake her nails down his back.

He remembered how her body had unconsciously arched up into touch, and fantasy-Lucy did the same, except this time she whispered his name and kissed him.

Kissed him. _Kiss her?_ He thought. This was the Lucy! Did he really want to kiss his best friend? The scenario had simply progressed, and it seemed natural that they would kiss... The idea wasn't unpleasant, just different. Touching her chest was one thing (he assumed people did that, but no one talked about that stuff), but kissing – everyone knew kissing meant love and dating and things like that. Kissing Lucy… _I bet her lips are soft and smooth, I bet she'd like kissing…_

By now, he'd leaned up against a tree and sunk a hand down his pants. A quick squeeze and he groaned; he couldn't give up the fantasy now. Would her lips be warm or cool? Would she taste the way she smelled, or different? _She'll never know_, he thought. _She's still my friend – this won't change that_.

He fell back into the fantasy except that now he and Lucy were out in the woods. He'd needed to get the daydream away from the familiar territory of her bed. He imagined Lucy in front of him, pressed up against the tree. His hands would wind around her waist and lift her up so that he could access her mouth more easily. She'd moan and bring her knees up to tighten against the sides of his hips. He could imagine how warm and soft her body would be as he pressed against her. He knew the contours of her thighs from all the skirts she wears, and the interplay of muscle and yielding skin had him wanting to run his hands up and down her backside and thighs. His fingers digging into the flesh of her hips would make her whimper and he would rock against her.

Pulling back, he'd look into her face and see the pleasure written in the red stain across her cheeks and neck and in her parted lips. Growling, he'd lean down to kiss her and then finally, he'd cup her chest through her shirt and she'd sigh. He focused in on the feeling of her chest in his hands since he had actual experience to draw from. He subconsciously conjured up the smell of her arousal, and the remembrance of it, and the look of pleasure on her face from his touch, had him moving his hand at top speed until he rode out the scene and finished.

Natsu looked down at the mess on his hand and stomach. The pale, sticky liquid on his skin brought to his mind an image of the same stuff trailing across the creamy skin of Lucy's chest. He immediately choked on his spit and groaned. He was definitely going to hell for that one, and he felt like punishing himself for his filthy imagination. He cleaned himself off as best he could with the material of his pants, hoping against hope that Happy wouldn't be at the house and see the evidence of his behavior.

He sighed. Maybe coming out to the woods alone was a bad idea; at least at the guildhall he was distracted from his attraction to his partner. But, he allowed a small voice from somewhere inside his chest speak up, it was nice to imagine being that close with Lucy, being able to touch her like that and to make her feel good. How had Gajeel managed it with Levy? How could he make it reality?

Things with Lucy were so weird right now and everything felt forced and strange. Natsu picked up a stick and began snapping it into pieces. As he walked back to his house, he threw the pieces off into the distance and enjoyed the rush of the shaking leaves as they pieces fell to the ground.

Could he even consider being something new with her when things felt strained as it was? Did that signal that the change wasn't right? They weren't leaving for that new mission until tomorrow, but the excitement of going off alone with Lucy was already enough to keep him up at night. Natsu blushed; Happy had been complaining that he'd been tossing too much in his sleep and the hammock made the beams squeak with every turn. It wasn't his fault his brain kept thinking up scenes of how he could touch Lucy!

] | [

Natsu growled. There was nothing good on the request board. "Happy, do you see anything?"

"No, sir!" The cat replied from his perch on the dragon slayer's shoulder. "Yeah, me neither." He looked over at the girls. He wasn't going to pass on an opportunity to go on an adventure with his best friend. Taking a moment to gauge their conversation – they'd gone back to discussing Harry Potter and his shitty type of magic, so it was safe – he made his way back over to their table.

Natsu watched as Lucy's body turned to welcome him, and it reminded him of a flower turning with the sun. He smiled at the idea that she was just as aware of him as he was of her on some level. Happy flew over to circle above Lucy's head before landing on the table in front of her. She absently reached a hand up to stroke his fur.

"So what'd you find?" She asked, brows drawn in skepticism. He shrugged. "Not much, none of them looked that good."

"I find that hard to believe, Natsu," Levy said. "the board is littered with papers!" The four of them turned toward the request board and took in the plethora of posted papers. Lucy tilted to her head to the side to consider them. "There's gotta be something…"

There was a silence that both Natsu and Lucy ignored, and Levy just watched Natsu watching Lucy. _Was she always so cute?_ Natsu thought. Too caught up in the angle of Lucy's neck and the line of her hair brushing against her eyelashes, he'd barely listened to Levy's comments. Said girl just grinned and Happy met her eyes. The cat winked mischievously then up and flew toward the bar, humming his characteristic "he liiiikes her" in his wake. Levy sighed and tapped her blonde friend on the shoulder. "Come on, Lu-chan. Let's see if we can't pick one." This knocked Natsu out of his musings with a scowl.

Lucy chirped an "alright!" and the two stood and went over to the board. Natsu glared at them as they left. He'd just sat down! The whole idea was to spend time with Lucy! Although he couldn't say he wasn't impressed with the length of his partner's long legs, revealed by her short denim shorts.

"Now who's perving on Lucy, eh jackass?" Gray offered as a greeting as he sat down across from Natsu. Natsu felt his neck heat up with embarrassment. "Oh come off it, ice princess," he mumbled.

Gray laughed at the sullen response. "Oh man, I can't believe you're not even denying it." He took a moment to appreciate the ladies and then whistled. "Can't say I blame you." Natsu snarled at this and made to stand up, but Gray just reached across the table and shoved him back down with a hand on his shoulder.

"Calm down, flame-brain. It's just us guys."

"Oh? Do you want us to leave then?" Levy said, Lucy behind her with a mission in her hands. Natsu just glowered and looked away, while Gray laughed and rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "No, no. Please join us, ladies."

Natsu felt Lucy sit next to him and her scent quickly surrounded him. Gods, but she smelled so good! He closed his eyes and breathed deeply.

"Natsu, what do you think of this one?" She asked, laying the paper out in front of him. It was a request for a fire mage to perform at someone's birthday party.

"Oi! No way, Luce, that's so lame! Romeo could do that – we don't need to waste our time. There won't even be any fighting!"

Lucy laughed and nudged him with her shoulder. "It's always about combat with you, isn't it?" she said, smiling. "This one looks perfectly safe and perfectly fun, if I do say so myself."

"Uh-oh, Lucy's got that greedy look in her eye again!" Happy said around the fish in his mouth as he landed on the table. Lucy blushed and took a swipe at the cat. "You hush, stupid cat!"

"Yeah, fire-eater," Gray chimed in, "all you have to do is juggle some flaming fruit for a bunch of children."

"Shut it, icicle. I'm not some clown. Lucy, I don't want to this mission!" He whined.

Lucy's face darkened with anger, making Natsu gulp. "Natsu, the payment is 200,000 freaking jewel! For that kind of money, there is nothing wrong with going on a mission that doesn't require fighting. We will not die if we actually keep a town intact," she finished with a bark, then sucked in a breath. The light returned to her face as she added, "and I think it could be fun! We could get costumes and perform together! I'll let you pick the next one." Then she gestured toward Happy. "And what children wouldn't love a flying cat!" Happy nodded and bowed solemnly. "It is true that all children can't help but love my cuteness."

Lucy laughed. "And who's stuck-up now, huh cat?"

] | [

After a quick wardrobe change in his thankfully empty house, Natsu made his way to the guild. While it was nice to be alone sometimes, especially now so he could try to make sense of all the nonsense whirling around in his head, he was lonely.

As he walked through the doors, his didn't feel his normal urge to announce his presence to the world. Instead, he searched the sea of familiar faces and quickly spotted Lucy. She was at the bar, talking with Lisanna and Mira. He wanted to make his way over there immediately, but would that make his feelings obvious? He should probably say hello to some other people.

"Natsu! Where were you this morning?" Happy's high-pitched voice caught his attention. The blue cat flew over to his mage, and Natsu ruffled the fur between his ears.

"Hey Happy, I just went for a walk. I wasn't feeling too good this morning."

"I could tell, Natsu! You were so broody and quiet." Seriously, was everything this cat said meant to embarrass someone?

"Well, I'm better now. You eat anything yet?"

"No! I gave a fish to Charle, but she threw it away..." Hmm, giving stuff to Charle didn't seem to work for Happy and he couldn't remember seeing Gajeel give Levy anything. Love in this guild was very strange. He doubted Lucy would like anything he got him anyway - what did he know about gifts?

Natsu sat down and Mira came over to take his and Happy's order (fire wings, soup, and fish), leaving Lisanna and Lucy still deep in conversation. From where Natsu sat, he could see them laughing about something. When Lucy smiled, Natsu couldn't help but think how pretty she looked. He felt his skin heat up a bit at the sight, and he scolded himself; this was embarrassing! Lucy smiled all the time - why did it suddenly make his heart race?

He walked over to her without thinking and threw an arm over her shoulder. "You ready for that mission, Luce?" he asked. "Hey Lisanna," he added. He forced himself not to think about how soft Lucy's hair was against his bicep, or how great she smelled today.

Lucy blushed beneath his shoulder and surreptitiously maneuvered out of his grasp. Did she not want him to touch her? Did the gesture reveal his feelings, and she was rejecting him? He thought he'd always acted like that around Lucy, but maybe not…

Lucy turned to smile at him, unwittingly assuaging his fears. "You bet I am! I'm glad you've warmed up to the idea of performing - I think it'll be a really fun time!"

"What's this?" Lisanna asked them.

Natsu answered, "Lucy picked a mission for us to go entertain some toddler on his birthday."

"Natsu! You agreed to go! And like I said, I really think it'll be fun!" Lucy exclaimed, nudging Natsu in the ribs. "You don't always need to fight!"

Both Lucy and Natsu, too caught up in each other, missed the melancholy smile on Lisanna's face. The sentiment quickly gave way to giggles, however. "I agree with Lucy! It's okay not to fight sometimes, Natsu. Mavis knows you fight enough around the guild! Mira-nee and I are always cleaning up after you!"

"Yeah, Natsu, it's not manly to make other people clean up your messes!" Elfman quipped, popping out of nowhere to come to sister's aid.

Lisanna caught Lucy's eye and winked. "You're behind on rent again already?" She asked. Lucy blushed. "N-no, not necessarily… I just think it'd be nice to be able to save up and not have to scrounge when it comes time."

"Aww, Lucy's growing up!" Happy jibed from Natsu's shoulder. Natsu laughed and grabbed onto Happy's tail. "Maybe she's actually learned a thing or two from us!"

"From you two idiots? As if! Do you either of you even have a wallet?" Lucy's statement drew laughs from Lisanna and Elfman.

Mira came by a moment later with the boys' food, and talk dwindled to chomps, ripping noises, and growls of satisfaction. The rest of the company just shook their heads.

"Do you know where Erza's been, Lucy?" Lisanna asked a bit later. Lucy looked up into blue eyes. "Yeah," she responded. "She went on a fighting mission," Lucy finished in a whisper, smiling and gesturing to Natsu. "It was an S-Class request."

Lisanna nodded, her face thoughtful. "You always seem to know what's going on with them. I'm glad you can keep up! I sure couldn't. Erza and Gray are so… intimidating."

Lucy looked away. "They mean a lot to me. And besides, between you and Mira, I'm sure you two know everything about everyone here! Mavis knows what you know about me," Lucy smiled.

Lisanna answered the grin with one of her own. Lucy stood and stretched, unknowingly drawing a certain fire-eater's eyes. "Well, I'm going to home to bed. Hope you don't have to stay around here too late, Lisanna. See you later!"

As she walked by, Natsu called to the blonde. "Luce, wait up! We're almost finished here - we'll walk home with you!"

"Aye, sir! I think Charle needs some space… I still can't believe she threw away that perfectly good fish," Happy interjected.

Lucy laughed and took a seat. "Oh Happy, I'm sure Charle will come around. You're such a gentleman and so thoughtful with her." She punctuated her words with a quick hug. Happy nodded into her chest with a muffled "aye sir." Natsu paused in his chewing. _Thoughtful? A gentleman? _He didn't know what a gentleman was like, but he was pretty sure he was thoughtful, at least with Lucy. He was always thinking about her and her well-being. Giving himself a pat on the back, he swallowed and wiped his mouth.

"Alright, let's go!"

The three called their goodbyes to Mira on their way out the doors. However, once the doors shut Lucy almost immediately slumped. "Ugh, I forgot how hot it was outside… I don't know whose magic keeps it nice in there, but we could use a little right now."

Natsu shrugged. "I like it. Can't ever be too hot for me."

"Well aren't you the lucky dragon slayer then, eh?" Lucy griped. Natsu just smiled in response to her antics. The urge to touch her crested through him, making his fingers tingle. He took a deep breath before grabbing her hand as they turned to walk along the canal. Lucy looked over at him, but he was steadfastly ignoring her eyes. She gazed at him a moment longer, he could practically feel the heat of her eyes like a touch to his skin, and then she smiled to herself and squeezed his hand. At the touch he let out the breath he'd been holding, and he felt his whole body relax in the comfort of being with her like this.

Of course, nothing sweet and simple can last before Happy makes his move.

"There will be none of that while I'm here!" He scolded, landing on their clasped hands and wriggling his way between them. Instead, he walked between them and held one hand each all the way to Lucy's place.

] | [

Natsu had to work very hard not to imagine what Lucy was doing in her nightly shower. He didn't think she was touching herself, per se, but knowing she was naked just a thin curtain away, soaping her body, lounging in the water… It was almost too much for his newly developing sexuality to handle._ Maybe this is why she's always getting mad that I'm here when she showers… _Did that mean she thought of him sexually? Or just that she thought he was thinking of her sexually? Gah, but this was confusing bullshit. Happy was already asleep on the bed, so he knew he'd be no good distraction.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Lucy drawing back the curtain. A wave of heat and humidity ushered her into the room, and the smell of Lucy and soap assaulted him. Between the heat, the smell, and the sight of Lucy's newly scrubbed and polished skin, pink and glistening, he felt himself suddenly overwhelmed. He quickly turned his back to her and threw his pack onto the couch.

"Oh, you guys are going to stay the night then? Does this look like a hotel to you? I'm going to start charging you two rent!" Lucy ranted, hands on hips as Natsu unrolled his blanket. Her voice woke Happy who whined, "Lucy, you're being too loud again!"

"And besides," she continued, ignoring the cat, "how do I know you won't end up in my bed like practically every other time!"

"Is it really the worst thing in the world?" Natsu started, but then quickly changed his tactic at the expression on Lucy's face. "I promise I'll stay on the couch, Luce! Just let us stay."

"Aye, sir!" Lucy growled at them. "Those are empty words, and you both know it!"

Happy and Natsu looked at each other. They heaved a collective sigh, then Natsu picked up his bedding. Milking it for all it was worth, they walked dejectedly to the door, their shoulders drooping with every slow step. Lucy felt each move wearing away her thinly-stretched pride to reveal raw guilt beneath. It's not like anything happened when they stayed over, right?

"Fine, fine. You can stay tonight since we're leaving in the morning."

"Yeah, alright!" Natsu exclaimed at the same time Happy offered an "Aye sir!" The two high-fived while Lucy shook her head. _Did I have to surround myself with idiots? _Happy flew into Lucy's chest for a hug to thank her, and Natsu wasted no time in joining in. _At least they're loveable. _

\- ] | [ -

* * *

A/N: I was in middle school when Harry Potter came out, so I grew up with the phenomena that was that series, and it will forever remain a comfort and legend to me. I just think Natsu would look down on it and find that to be hilarious.

Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

In response to the reviewer who wrote about Natsu knowing about sex: first, thank you for your feedback. this gives me the opportunity to explain something; this story is about experiencing sex for the first time (and everything that entails). Plenty of 11- and 12-yr-old boys watch p*rn, and therefore "know" plenty about sex, but that doesn't mean they know the experience of it. Also, from what I understand boys don't talk about sex the way girls do, so aside from some dirty jokes from the men, I'm pretty sure Natsu would hear the most about sex from Cana.

For all the reviews/favorites/follows - WOW. seriously, wow. I've never been so excited (and nervous) about something before, and it's making this so super fun.

A/N: No lemon yet, not even citrusy really, but we'll get there – please be patient! And, as always, please enjoy.

* * *

"what's the big deal?"

\- ] chapter 3 [ -

Natsu slept on the couch like he promised, and even Happy slumbered there with him. They were going to prove to Lucy that they could behave! Towards the morning, however, Natsu relieved himself, took a drink of water, and was about to settle back down on the cushions when Lucy whimpered in her sleep. He'd avoided looking at her because, well, because seeing her would make it difficult not to climb into bed with her.

When the sound drew his attention, his eyes snapped to her without thinking, and the sight of her scrunched face, blonde hair fanned out across the pillow, and the curves of her body loosely wrapped in her bed sheet broke his flimsy resolve. The weather still blanketed them in a layer of heat, so he decided to half-honor Lucy's wishes and lay down on top of the covers behind her. Despite said heat, he couldn't help but bring his face to the skin of the back of her neck and inhale deeply; Lucy always smelled amazing, but Lucy in bed was his favorite smell (besides burning wood). Her scent was more concentrated and raw and warm in bed, and he found himself snuggling to her, his body pressing lightly against the bend of her knees and arc of her back.

Being close to someone like this was weird. With Igneel, his scales were rough and hard, and Natsu had jumped on and pummeled them with tiny fists as much as he had cuddled up to them. But Lucy embodied soft and feminine, and her form was smaller than his, as opposed to gigantic.

"Natsu!" Happy whisper-yelled, breaking Natsu's train of thought. "Get out of Lucy's bed, you perv!" Natsu glared at the flying cat from behind her shoulder. "She'll kill us!"

Natsu lifted his arm from Lucy's waist to bring to his lips, giving Happy the quiet signal. "I'm not really in her bed – it doesn't count," he whispered.

Happy heaved an exasperated, but acquiescent, sigh and flew to settle next to Natsu on the bed. Aware of Happy's presence, Natsu reluctantly settled himself on his back, trying his best to respect Lucy's request and not take advantage of the situation. Before he went to sleep though, and after making sure Happy's eyes were closed, he ran a hand from her hip to shoulder. Lightly cupping her shoulder, his thumb carressed the skin of her back and his mind whispered, _goodnight_.

In the morning, Natsu was pleased to note that he had stayed on his back and not groped his friend. He was also pleased to realize Lucy had rolled over to face him, and her hand had founds its way to his stomach. He smirked lightly and mentally prepared himself as he could tell she was waking up by the sound of her breathing and her heartbeat.

"Hmm, Natsu what are you doing in my bed? You never smell this good… Why is your skin so soft?" She mumbled vaguely coherently and he assumed mostly to herself. She lifted her head from the pillow, her hair spilling in front of her face. If Natsu had been paying attention he would have seen her blink, but his awareness was focused elsewhere. Her hand had unfurled and her fingers and palm swiped slowly across his abdomen. She must have thought she was dreaming or something, but Natsu's body couldn't be more alert. Her fingers were warm and her touch sent a jolt of electricity straight to that place in his lower belly he was quickly becoming familiar with. He wanted to grab her hand to make her stop – or never let her stop or just to touch her, too, maybe? – but then she seemed to comprehend just what was going on. Her hand froze with her fingertips still lightly grazing his skin, and her eyes locked onto his. Natsu registered the disbelief on her face and that he had indeed grabbed the wrist of her contentious hand. At some point he had sat up to match her and he felt hypnotized by the silent moment. She had (somewhat) voluntarily touched him, and it felt incredible – he hadn't known his skin could feel that way – and her eyes were so wide and pretty that he found himself leaning in…

Natsu pressed his lips against Lucy's and sensation bombarded him; her lips were cool and so, so soft. She responded immediately, her lips pressing against his, enticing him to move closer. His nose bumped her cheek and he sucked in a breath full of her scent. Fully encompassed by her with the pressure of her lips moving with his, challenging and tempting, he could have died in that moment.

But then Lucy pulled back, panting hard and flailing. She threw off his arms (when had he grabbed her shoulders?) and all but jumped out of bed.

"Natsu, I don't think of you like that! You're my best friend! What are you doing?" She screeched, turning to assail him but thinking better of moving closer. Her eyes pleaded with him and her arms lay at her sides, palms up and open wide. "What were you thinking?"

For all his previous emotions, Natsu suddenly felt deflated. Reality crashed down and he felt something desperate inside him. "Lucy, I'm sorry! I don't know what happened… I just, it just happened." By the look on her face, these weird feelings were hurting Lucy, and it crushed him. He sat on the edge of the bed, impotently grasping the mattress with the both hands. "I'm sorry, don't be mad! It was an accident!"

Lucy crossed her arms over her chest, and he couldn't read her expression; the emotions there were so intense that they scared him, and he felt an answering earnestness rise within him. "I promise, Luce, I didn't mean to! I know we're best friends."

She looked at him a moment longer, then covered her face with her hands and ran from the room, drawing the curtain to the bathroom with such force that the rod jiggled and bounced. He caught the sound of crying before surging water from the tub faucet masked all other noise.

"Natsu, what did you?" Happy asked, peaking out from under the foot of the bed. Natsu launched to his feet and paced the apartment. His hands fisted in his hair and he felt like he was breaking apart inside. Acid had spread its way into his veins, fracturing his insides in heated poison. He'd been drawn in by the moment… But how could she react like that? _She didn't think of him that way…?_

"I don't know, Happy," he whined, turning to the cat. The rush of water droned on behind him. His gaze searched Happy's for answers, but Happy just shook his head. "It was an accident, Happy! It just happened!"

How could he do that – kiss her? This was Lucy! His best friend, and it had felt so good. Kissing her had felt like heaven, and it would ruin everything between them. _Do I really like her? Lucy? _He thought about her, his mind calling up images: her laughter and her brains, her always doubting her magic abilities and always surprising everyone with how tough she really is. He thought about her silly moments, the times she made Horologium carry her because she was too much of a priss to walk herself… Even that was endearing. Fuck. _Fuck!_

"Lucy seems really upset, Natsu. What are we going to do?" That was the question, wasn't it.

He'd never really liked anyone, but he knew the feeling in his chest could signal nothing else. He cared about almost everyone in his life, but Lucy had always been special. She was best friend special from the start, but somewhere in the midst of their friendship it'd become more. Shit.

"I don't know, Happy. What do you think?"

"…Fish?" Maybe it was the ridiculousness of that suggestion in the midst of his meltdown, but Natsu barked out a laugh. He took a deep breath and crouched down next to Happy.

"Yeah, buddy, I think food would be a good idea," and smiled a small, but genuine smile. Happy flew into the kitchen and Natsu followed, thinking Lucy would be more forgiving with a full cup and full stomach.

Now that he confirmed he had these feelings for her, he had to decide if he was willing to act on them or not. Until then, he had to make it up to her.

] | [

When Lucy came out of the bathroom much later, she seemed startled to see the pair of them still in her apartment. Before she could say anything, Natsu went on the offensive.

"Look, Luce, we made breakfast!" He said, gesturing to the food laid out on the small kitchen table. They'd cooked eggs, bacon, pancakes, and even made coffee. With Happy already eating a grilled fish, Natsu held his breath awaiting her response, and then felt the urge to kiss her again when she smiled. Well damn.

"Thank you, boys. This is really nice." Lucy tightened the towel around her body, and Natsu did his best not to react. "You don't mind if I make my own coffee, though, do you?" She asked, already shifting to the sink to put the kettle on.

As she moved methodically around the kitchen to set up the French press, Natsu sighed with relief at her behavior. "Nope, I'll drink this then," he said. But when he tasted it, he grimaced. "Maybe not," he muttered before pouring some fire sauce on his eggs and digging in. Lucy went out to her dresser, selected some clothes, and went back into the bathroom to change. Maybe they could get passed this. He was still happier here with her like this than with anyone else. If she didn't feel that way about him, he wouldn't push it. Friends could be enough, right?

] | [

He was not right; being friends was not enough. The two-day walk to Clover Town included strained smiles, laughter (both forced and natural), and the two of them doing their best to act normal, but stealing glances at the other as surreptitiously as they could manage (not very surreptitious at all). Now that he noticed and actually appreciated how beautiful Lucy was, Natsu found everything about her mesmerizing. Every small detail, like the way she walked, or sighed, or fixed her hair, merited his attention and approval.

Happy, He-Who-Delights-Most-In-Sexual-Tension, was doing his best to make it difficult and uncomfortable for them until Natsu chased him off.

"Lucy, why are you looking at Natsu's butt?" Natsu spun around at the statement, only to be faced with a very red Lucy.

"Happy, I was doing no such thing! You shitty little cat!" She yelled mid-kick, quickly attempting to unleash violence upon the flying animal. Natsu laughed, catching Happy's notice, then blanched at the cat's next words.

"Don't laugh, Natsu, you're the one who kissed her! And she's so weird and noisy!"

Needless to say, Happy flew ahead of them now, leaving them in awkward silence. All of the safety of their earlier, normal interactions had fluttered off with Happy like a blanket upended in the wind.

By the time they made it to Kunugi and were able to procure a hotel room, the company was worn out. Lucy went to bathe while the boys scampered off to find a restaurant, saying they would bring back food for her.

Once out of the hotel, Natsu turned to his companion. "Happy, you need to lay off," he said, running a hand through his hair.

The cat just looked at his friend and harrumphed. "It's not my fault you guys are so weird."

"Happy, that's just it! What's going on _is_ weird, and you throwing it in our faces makes it worse. "

"Then do something about it, Natsu! I know you like Lucy- you always have."

"Yeah, well Happy, I only just noticed." Natsu picked up the cat and put him on his shoulder. "Please, Happy. We need to figure out what's going, but if something goes wrong, we could lose Lucy. I know you don't want that to happen."

Happy quickly agreed. "Aye, sir. I want Lucy to stay. Always."

] | [

The hotel room had only one bed, so Natsu slept on the floor. Natsu and Lucy said nothing as they went to bed under their respective blankets, until Natsu broke the heavy stillness.

"We'll be in Clover tomorrow, Lucy. Do you want to practice our routine in the morning before we go?" He asked, trying to engage her and remind her that they could be normal.

"Yeah, I'd like that. I need to finish the alterations I made to my Cait Shelter costume, but it shouldn't take long. Night Natsu, night Happy, you buttface."

The rest of their journey continued more like the first day, filled with nervous tension but veiled by their attempts to act natural. This was just another adventure, and they were determined to enjoy it like they always had.

Instead of checking into a hotel, Lucy convinced them to go straight to meet their client, Andrea Taubman, at her family home outside the city. The family was rich, the grounds of their home extensive and manicured. The house itself was large, but not nearly as huge as the Heartphilia residence.

"Hi, we're the mages from Fairy Tail," Lucy introduced when a servant opened the door. Natsu hung behind her with his arms crossed.

"Indeed, hello! The lady awaits you in the courtyard."

They followed the servant through a spacious open foyer, a posh sitting room, and straight large through French doors to the patio. The gardens were visible from the flagstone, and they saw many more servants setting up tents, tables and chairs. On the patio, a sleekly dressed young lady stood from her seat at a glass table.

"Hello! You must Lucy," she said as she shook hands with the girl. She gave Lucy one kiss on each cheek, to which Lucy responded in kind, though blushing. "And you must be Natsu and Happy," she exlaimed, giving Natsu the same treatment, though she only waved to the cat.

They took seats around the table and the servant went to get them drinks.

"Lady Andrea," Lucy began but was interrupted.

"Please just call me Andrea," she said. "Our parents are out of town and so won't mind if we skip the formality. Lord knows I don't care for it, nor Omar."

Natsu grit his teeth at the girl's tone and pretention, but said nothing. He slurped his cucumber water as loudly as he could as Lucy did her best to manage the situation.

"Of course, Andrea. Natsu and I have a routine ready for tonight's celebration, but we wanted to make sure it'd be to your liking. What kind of entertainment are you expecting?"

"Oh, anything, really. Omar just loves fire. He's bought himself some silly things to play with from one of the magic stores in town but – bless him – he's always burning himself and the décor."

Lucy looked horrified by this. "Who would let a child play with fire?" She asked. Natsu just snickered into his drink and splashed Happy with a flick of his finger.

Andrea sighed. "I know, Omar can be such a child sometimes, but the magic stores are legally allowed to sell the smaller fire and fireworks products to anyone fifteen and older."

It was Lucy's turn to choke on her water. "Fifteen? Omar is fifteen?"

"Why yes, today is his sixteenth birthday party. Remember, Lucy? That's why you're here."

Lucy blanched, feeling both embarrassed and caught off-guard. They were supposed to be performing for toddlers! She'd be barely older than the birthday boy!

"Oh, dear Lucy, don't you worry!" Andrea cooed. "Omar will just love you." She stood from her seat and turned toward the house. "Come, I will set you up in the guest quarters of the east wing. If there is anything you require, Elion here," she motioned to the servant who'd brought their drinks, "will get it for you."

] | [

"Shit, Natsu! What are we going to do? I thought this'd be a party for children, not teenagers!" Lucy paced in Natsu's guest room.

"Luce, it'll be fine. You heard that lady, 'Omar will just love you'" he mimicked. Happy laughed, adding, "Aye sir!"

"We need to come up with a new performance! A crowd of teenagers isn't going to be happy with a little juggling and dancing… Not a crowd this rich, either."

Before Natsu could reply, a knock sounded at the door.

"Hello, Elion," Lucy greeted.

The servant bowed and offered her a large shopping bag. "The lady wishes you to incorporate these products into tonight's show. She said she wasn't sure a fire mage would come, so she procured some items. These are said items."

"Thank you. Tell her we will do our best to please her and her brother."

"Of course, miss," the servant responded before Lucy shut the door and sighed.

"Lemme see, Luce!" Natsu yelled, running up and snatching the bag from her. Lucy giggled. "Really, Natsu, I'm sure there's nothing in there you haven't seen before."

"But it's all fire stuff! What's not to love?" He rummaged through the contents and pulled out a dragon pyrotechnic. "Look! I bet this one'll taste great!"

Lucy smiled. "I bet it will. Now let's talk about our routine!"

] | [

Natsu walked around the stage, set up under the main tent. Wood had been thrown onto the grass so the guests wouldn't ruin their shoes or the grass beneath, and a stage had been built at the back. It was large, but Natsu would have to ask that it be moved back so it wasn't under the tent. It would be way too easy to light that shit on fire, then Lucy would miss out on her rent money, kill him… The usual. He pondered the sky, glad it was sunny with no hint of cloud or smell of rain, and wondered how far back the stage would need to be.

Hearing Lucy behind him, he turned around and promptly choked on his spit. She looked fucking amazing. She'd kept the bikini halter-top red, but dyed the strips of cloth hanging from it orange. She'd also dyed the edges of the floating armsleeves red. Instead of a long white skirt underneath the patterned red cloth hanging from her waist, she'd added more cloth to create ripples, and dyed it orange with gold trim. She'd switched out the grey metal choker and bracelet for golden versions, and a thin golden anklet snaked up her left calf.

But Natsu was not looking at the clothes – he was struck by the expanse of skin left exposed by them. Lucy's chest looked huge, and the top pushed her breasts together in a way that left him sweating and wanting to touch them. She's plaited her hair into twin gloden braids that framed her chest. He gulped as his eyes traveled down to her trim waist and smooth stomach, then continued to her long legs. Her bare feet gave the outfit a level of intimacy that made him want her even more.

"Natsuuu" Happy began, but Natsu just yanked his tail. "Say nothing!" he hissed.

"Hey, Lucy!" He greeted, his voice squeaking a bit. "Looking great! I see why you dyed parts of my vest orange and yellow now."

"Yeah, I really like how it all came out," she smiled, twirling a little in her clothes, then she clapped her hands. "Alright then, let's get practicing!"

] | [

"Oh you look positively exotic! I love the costumes!" Andrea gushed after closing the curtain behind her. Moving the stage out from under the tent had made hiding it easier, and Andrea had loved the idea. "I had no idea the explosive power of fire magic!" She'd marveled. "But of course, it does stand to reason."

"I hope your brother likes the show," Lucy said.

"Yes, yes, come here please, both of you," Andrea demanded. She pulled back the curtain slightly and pointed to a tall boy who looked much like Andrea herself. "That is Omar, and if you could include him or single him out at any point in the act, I would greatly appreciate it."

Lucy and Natsu nodded, then she produced a small bottle from a pocket in her skirt. "Here is some sake," she winked. "You missed the first toast, and just in case you need a little liquid courage before the show. Please feel free to indulge after the performance!"

Lucy turned to Natsu once she'd left. "Oooh, I'm so nervous!" Natsu laughed.

"Don't worry, Lucy, just think of the reward!" Happy counseled, making Lucy laugh.

"Yes!" She said, making a fist in determination.

"We'll be great, Luce, don't you worry!" Natsu encouraged. He loved the smile she sent him in response. He gestured to the bottle in Lucy's hand and she shrugged. After taking a gulp, she passed it to Natsu who smirked and tossed back his own swig. Happy got what was left, after which they jumped up onto the stage to stand in the middle and await the curtain call.

] | [

"Wooo!" He heard Omar yell as they started their performance with a bang – fireworks exploded from the four corners of the stage, raining down trails of fire.

Natsu looked over at Lucy, and she nodded. The fierce resolve in her eyes excited him, and he could feel a responding roar of fire howl through him.

He began a martial arts routine, spouting fire from his limbs as he punched, kicked, and flipped to warm up the crowd.

Lucy came in soon after, dancing and whirling in her own flames (thanks to the items Andrea had given them). This was a little more dangerous because unlike Natsu's flames, this fire would burn her. He stalked her moves carefully, then joined her in the "meeting" portion of their act. They danced around each other, and made sure to flare around as much fire as possible.

Before long, however, Happy soared in on his wings and a jet of fire. He landed between the two and knocked down Natsu on his landing. With a slight of hand from Natsu, a wall of flame appeared in front of the mage, cutting him off from Happy and Lucy. The crowd went wild as Natsu raged on the other side, a tsunami of flame erupting from his mouth. It wasn't everyday you saw that!

Being around this much fire, with the enthusiasm of the rowdy, drunken teenagers made Natsu's blood boil and sing. The adrenaline in him was like the thrill of a good fight, and he relished in his element and the environment.

Happy flew Lucy to the other side of the stage, where a post had been set in a bed of straw. Happy "chained" Lucy's wrists behind her back to the pole, then he vanished in a puff of smoke to reveal Loke, who turned to face Natsu.

They circled each other, Loke leading Natsu through various, blazing obstacles, which he hurdled, smashed, or jumped through, all in a shower of fire. The smell of burning wood filled Natsu and he relished in the moment.

Loke stepped up and engaged Natsu in physical combat, and Natsu made sure to include as much dramatic, excessive flame as he could. It was clear Natsu was the fire-weilding protagonist to Loke's non-pyro villainy. Natsu shot and circled fire from his fingers, creating shapes of shifting flames; the effect was entrancing, as they hoped it would be. They'd decided earlier a teenage boy obsessed with fire would love nothing more than a real (or almost real) fire-fight.

Natsu hit Loke with a strong, flaming fist that threw him off his feet and to the ground by Lucy's feet. She'd stood as soon as their battle had begun, and now she sidestepped her celestial spirit. Loke rolled toward her and winked. Natsu stood, panting above his adversary who groaned and disappeared in another burst of smoke.

Natsu looked up and caught Lucy's eyes. The crowd cheered frantically, geared up by the intensity of the fight and tension between Natsu and Lucy. However, Loke's last trick to undermine Natsu had the audience yelling in anxiety – he'd set the post ablaze! Natsu smirked as Lucy ostentatiously acted frightened, though he could tell just how much she was fighting a smile. He set his body afire (to the delight of the crowd) and closed the distance between them. He hugged her, knowing his flames wouldn't burn her, and yanked the chains that'd shackled her to the post. Then, just to give a good sense of conclusion, he lit the three dragon fireworks set behind the pole.

When he pulled back, he was stunned by the emotion in her eyes – it screamed of lust. Lucy's eyes were dark and half-lidded, her lips were slightly parted, and he could make out the scent of her underneath the fire. The change fizzled in the air between him and instead of stepping back and bowing to the crowd, he allowed the flame around them to burn and touched her face. A responding surge of desire flared through him, making his skin hot. He cupped her face with both hands and brough their mouths together in a rough kiss. She was more than ready for him and met him halfway, rocking her entire body against his. The feel of her chest and hips pressing into him drove him crazy and he couldn't get close enough, he couldn't kiss her hard enough. It was sweet torture.

He pulled back for a moment, however, to ask, "I thought you said you didn't think of me like that."

Lucy blushed, but held his stare. "I-I think I might. Is that alright?" She replied softly. The words hooked inside his chest, and, like a magnet, he leaned down to kiss her again and more vigorously. His hands grasped her body, one sinking into the skin of her hip, the other tracing up her back, cupping her shoulder, her neck, her head, before sinking into her hair and holding her close.

Their mouths met again and again, each time more demanding than the last until he felt Lucy's tongue take a swipe at his lips. The contact was electric and he pressed her even closer as he opened his mouth and touched her tongue with his own. He heard her gasp and he groaned. They continued for some moments longer, lost in the sensations, until Lucy pulled back, confusing Natsu and leaving him seeking more. That is, until he heard the laughter, clapping, and cheers of the crowd. The fire around them had died down and left them exposed to their adoring audience. The dancing dragon fireworks had entertained them for only so long.

Natsu kept his eyes fixed to Lucy's face, watching her reaction, but she just blushed and tried to cover her face. Natsu stepped in and grabbed wrists, looking into her eyes. While embarrassed, her expression held no hint of shame or remorse. He smiled reassuringly at her as hope solidified inside of him.

] | [

The rest of the party passed quickly and in a blur of bright torchlight, loud music, and boisterious teenage boys. Omar had indeed loved the show, and showered them with praise and continuously full glasses.

As Andrea had advised, they called Omar on-stage and gave him some fire-weilding elements like the ones Lucy had used. They attached a a bracelet with a rings connected to it so he could shoot fire from his fingers, then Natsu showed him some of the easier martial arts moves.

Omar delighted in the impromptu training session while his friends cheered him on and kept his glass full. Omar insisted he dance a bit with Lucy, too, and he offered her many sips of his drink.

Andrea found Natsu as Omar and Lucy danced. "I am stunned by how wonderfully you both performed. It was perfect. Thank you so much!" She said, hugging Natsu. "Who was that other man in the show?"

"That was one of Lucy's celestial spirits – that's her type of magic, she can call on the stellar spirits, and Loke's a good guy. Fun to fight," he added. Andrea nodded, and offered Natsu a drink of his. He declined.

Natsu drank very little – his body metabolized the stuff super quickly, so it almost wasn't worth it. Lucy, however, didn't require much to reduce her to a smiling, slurring, stumbling mess, and, sooner than he expected, he had to step in and get her away from Omar and his drinks.

"Hey Luce, why don't we put that one down," he advised, gently easing a cup out of her hands that one of Omar's friend had given her. Lucy gave no objection, but he still frowned at the touch; her skin was much too warm. Bringing a hand up to her jaw, he tilted her head back to look at her face. The skin was flushed an expansive pink, her eyes were wide and glassy, and she had trouble holding eye contact with him.

"Yep, think it's time to call it a night. Come on, Lucy! Let's go get Happy!" Lucy smiled vacantly and hiccuped. Natsu tried his best to tamp down on his anxiety; he knew plenty of people who drank too much and were still fine! It'd never been Lucy, though… Damn Cana was a terrible influence on the girl.

Happy had long since fell asleep on one of the serving tables (in a pile of fishbones, of course), so Natsu walked Lucy over and had her pick him up.

"Ew, Lucy smells disgusting!" Happy moaned once he woke up. Lucy just hummed and hugged the cat tighter, while Natsu came to her defense. "Happy, she's Fairy Tail – we didn't destory anything tonight, so it makes sense she'd have to go and get trashed."

"Gross, sir," Happy mumbled in response before struggling out of her grip and flying himself to Natsu's room. The rest of the walk consisted of Natsu slowly helping Lucy into the house and up to her room, cheering her on along the way.

"Natsu, I'm scared," Lucy whispered as he brought the covers up over her still-costumed body. He felt her statement raise goosebumps along his neck, and handed her a second glass of water.

"You don't have anything to be scared of, Luce," he consoled, but she put her hands over his where they rested on the blanket and did her best to look him in the eye. "I've never had a friend like you, and now it's changing. Like I am being greedy. Do you think I'm greedy?"

Natsu smiled. He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Well I'm greedy, too. We can be greedy together," he finished before kissing her mouth. He'd wanted it to be a goodnight peck, but the feel of her mouth pressing fully into his had him prolonging the contact.

When he pulled back, he saw that she was still worried. "You know me, Lucy. I'll always be your friend, no matter what happens."

Lucy pouted. "Cana says that's what they all say!"

Natsu felt frustation simmering beneath the tight hold he had on his control. "Oy, Lucy – look at me," he waited until she complied. "Do you trust me?"

She took a deep breath. "Of course, Natsu, more than anyone in the world."

Whatever hope had blossomed in him earlier grew tenfold at her words. He knew it was true – she'd proved it time and again in her words and actions – but now, with everything between them at stake, the knowledge both humbled and empowered him.

"Then trust me, Lucy. We'll be there for each other, and we'll always be friends. This is new but it's still us, and it can't be wrong." She nodded at his words, her eyes unable to look away from him now. _Maybe she will remember this in the morning_, he thought. _I hope so._

"Goodnight, Lucy," he said, kissing her. Her response was immediate and fierce, and he had to grip the sheets around her shoulders not to grab her and continue. He slowed the kiss as best he could, then kissed her cheek and left.

The shutting door awoke Happy. "She gonna be okay, Natsu?"

"Yes, Happy, she'll be fine. Probably hungover, though." Happy snickered, then stretched. Looking at his friend, he added seriously. "You gonna be okay, Natsu?"

Natsu smiled and lumbered onto the bed beside him. "Yes, Happy, I'm going to be okay, too. You have fun tonight?"

"Aye, sir!"

] | [

"Where are those idiots?" Gray asked, sitting at the guildhall with Juvia hovering behind him a column to his left. Across from him, Erza shrugged.

Mira giggled. "They're still recuperating. Natsu and Lucy returned a day late from their mission because apparently Lucy got trashed at the party. It wasn't a kid's birthday celebration at all, it was a teenage boy's!" she supplied for them.

"Huh, you'd think with all the time they spent alone together they were a couple," Gray said, then shook his head. "Too bad Natsu will never be able to pull his head out of his ass long enough to make a move on Lucy."

Juvia was silent, trying to figure out whether Gray had intimated at feelings for Lucy with that statement, while Erza nodded. "He is too much of a warrior to focus on anything but fighting. It's endearing, really. It's a good thing she doesn't feel that way about him," she said with her usual authority.

Gray quirked an eyebrow, then shrugged. It was their business if they wanted to pass up a perfectly good opportunity that apparently only their closest friends and loved ones felt was obvious. _Idiots_, he thought.

\- ] | [ -

* * *

A/N: It's the nature of the beast when exploring new and intense situations, but I'm getting really worried about being OOC. I'm doing my best (obviously) but if you have any thoughts/suggesstions, I'd love to hear it. I take constructive criticism very seriously – and I trust the NaLu community : ) Thank you for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

I've been on this site for so freaking long, and to receive the response this fic has gotten has truly floored me. You guys are such an amazing group of readers – every author you read is lucky. I am so thankful you found your way to my story! (_I read each and every one of your reviews, __multiple times__, (__it's pathetic and awesome.))_

A/N: "otouto" = little brother; I don't speak Japanese even a little bit, but I just felt like this was the right thing to put (doubt there's precedent, but whatevs). Kinda like how manga scanners have Lisanna say Elf-niichan, it just… feels right.

A/N: Hehehehe.

* * *

"what's the big deal?"

\- ] chapter 4 [ -

Natsu almost felt bad for Lucy and her epic hangover.

"I never drink that much, how did this happen?" She wailed pathetically from amidst pillows and blankets. Andrea Taubman had been generous enough to let them stay the morning, and probably the day if her head was anything to go by. Omar had rushed in ealier to ask Lucy to breakfast, but Natsu had already taken up residence in a chair by her bed and glared at him.

"It's your fault she's like this! At least let her sleep it off." Abashed and intimidated, Omar quietly shut the door and they hadn't seen him since.

Happy flew in the window and handed Natsu a napsack full of food. "Lucy hasn't died, has she?"

"I heard that, stupid cat," a mumbled voice spoke from the mass of covers. Natsu and Happy laughed.

"Hey Luce, you want any toast? Or bacon?"

A suspiciously roar-like noise emerged in response. "Natsu, even water tastes disgusting. Please don't talk about food."

His face fell; she was sicker than he thought. They definitely wouldn't be leaving today. "You idiot, you gotta drink something. I'll go get you some tea." Natsu was already at the door before she could protest.

"Happy, you're in charge. And leave me some breakfast, too!"

] | [

The next couple days frustrated Natsu in a way he'd never felt before; he was accustomed to dealing with his emotions. Something making him angry? There's a fist to solve that. Something making him sad? He'd been known to cry (and Happy knew what to do). Something making him happy? His was a smile that spread joy to everyone who saw it. But with Lucy… he always wanted to be around her – that was not a new feeling – but coupled with the longing he felt, he had no clue what to do about it. He also appreciated how shy she was, so he didn't want to push her. But damn, three days and counting and all the contact he'd been graced with were a few flushed faces (which struck him as more adorable of late), stammered words, and awkward laughs before she disappeared.

"Why are being such a stalker, Natsu?" Happy asked, looking over at his friend with mischief.

Natsu sighed. He stole a last glance up at Lucy's window, then turned to return to the guild. "No reason."

_Tomorrow_. He would give her these three days to work through whatever she needed to, to get her head right, and deal with whatever bullshit was holding her back. The image of her eyes, lit by roiling flames and full of desire, came to mind and an answering jolt to his belly accompanied it. Whether or not she accepted it, they had something, and he wasn't one to give up.

] | [

Walking into the guildhall, a scowl already in place from his earlier musings, Natsu missed the look Cana sent his way.

"Hey, Flame-boy!" She called from her seat atop one of the tables. "C'mere," she demanded, waving an inelegant hand in his direction. Her slurring and lopsided movements made Natsu do a mental check – it was nearing dusk, so he assumed the card-weilder hadn't eaten and had most likely consumed a week's worth of whiskey today alone. This spelled trouble.

"What d'ya want, Cana," he asked in lieu of a greeting. Seriously, she stank of liquor. And the smell only brought up his (well, Lucy's) recent experience with it, proving only to sour his mood further.

"We gotta talk," Cana began and leaned in closer when he took a seat on the bench. "A certain steller spirit mage is quite upset, and I need to make sure you're not messing around."

So she could talk to Cana about them, but couldn't even see him? He felt his skin heat up. But this was how Lucy dealt with things, he reminded himself. She was a people person and a talker – this should be no surprise.

"It's none of your business," he groused. Cana only smiled in response. "Oh, my dear *_otouto_, it so is." And then she did the impossible – she set aside her barrel in favor of a conversation with him.

"Cana, leave–"

"No, you listen here, Natsu," and Natsu wondered how the mage could sober up so quickly. "Lucy is like a sister to me, and I won't have you play at being a man and screwing around with her when you're still a boy. She deserves the real thing."

"What the fuck does that mean?" He barked, trying very hard to be conscious of the very populated guildhall even though he'd never been good at reigning in his temper. He didn't need this shit; this was between him and Lucy, not some over-protective alcholic. _Over-protective…?_ His mind repeated. _What did she need protection from, _him_? _That didn't make any sense.

"Lucy has been there for me when I didn't even deserve it, and I'll be damned if I let someone – even you – hurt her. She may have the damn sexiest body in all of Fiore, but she's never had a boyfriend." Cana grasped his chin. "If you're just looking to hook up, you better pick someone else. Everything Lucy does and everyone Lucy lets in she does with her whole heart, so if this isn't serious for you _back the hell off_. Before it goes any further."

Natsu yanked his face from her grip, but kept wary eyes on Cana. "Lucy is my nakama," he started but Cana interrupted him by slamming a fist down onto the table and drawing the attention of those in the vicinity. "This is what I mean!" She yelled.

Unfortunately, Natsu could feel the stares of his fellow guildmates and grit his teeth. She definitely wasn't making this easy. "Lucy is my nakama," he repeated slowly, "and I would never do anything to hurt her." He blushed. "This is– this is all new, but I've never done anything without my whole heart, either, so I don't think there'll be a problem."

Cana snarled at him. "There best be no thinking about it – only resolve. Like I said, she deserves a real man."

At the words, Elfman's head perked up. "Who needs a real man?" He parroted from his seat next to Lisanna, with Evergreen, Bixlow, and Freed. Natsu spared their inquisitve faces a fleeting glance, but refocused his attention on Cana. Before he could say anything, however, a draft from the guildhall doors opening distracted him._ Lucy! _His heart shouted, and he felt anticipation speed through his body. Finally.

He gave Cana one last glare before stepping over the bench to make his way to his friend, only to stop short at the sight of Levy. _Goddamnit!_ She really was going to make him wait three days. Levy must have read his stormy thoughts on his face, because she blanched at his approach.

"N-Natsu, hey…" She stammered. He grunted and swept past her, grabbing her arm and dragging her with him back through the doors. He pointedly ignored Gajeel's "Hey, bastard!" from somewhere inside.

"Natsu," Levy began again once they were outside. She caught her feet and wrenched her arm out of his grasp. He turned to her, ready to burst, but faltered when she rubbed her arm. "Uh, I'm sorry, Levy," he said. "I didn't mean to hurt ya."

Levy narrowed her eyes at him, but then sighed. "It's okay, Natsu. I can't say I'm all that surprised," she replied cheekily. She walked up next to him, and they continued down the street together.

"Squirt!" A deep, loud voice rang out from behind them. Natsu turned to see Gajeel striding towards them. "You okay, shrimp?" He asked Levy. Natsu wondered at the concern in the dragon-slayers eyes. Did he look at Lucy like that? Levy smiled beautifully up at him, making Natsu look away. "I'm fine, Gajeel."

The tall man crossed his arms and grunted, then struck Natsu with an aggressive stare. "You ever touch her again, asshole, and I'll rip off both of your arms. Fairy Tail's Salamander or not."

"Gajeel!" Levy shouted and smacked him. "It's okay, really! Natsu just needs to… talk." Gajeel's gaze swung between Levy and the other dragon-slayer. After a few moments, he chuckled. "Finally realized he has a dick, has he?"

Levy wacked him again as Natsu flushed bright red,yelling "Hey!" in dispute. Gajeel only laughed harder. "Yeah, yeah, be quick about it, squirt," he said to Levy, turning around to go back inside the guildhall. "Catch ya later." Natsu watched Levy smile after him. Their interaction made him oddly melancholy.

Levy, a smile still hanging on her lips, resumed her walk. She gave Natsu a backwards glance, and with a tilt of her head motioned him to join her. He shook off his despondency and obliged.

"So, you curious about Lucy, then?" He gulped. _So much so_. She laughed at the expression on his face. "Of course you are."

"Cana already yelled at me, so can you please not yell at me, too?" He pleaded. "I don't think I deserve it, either."

Levy's eyes squinted at him. "We'll be the judge of that," she replied in a haughty, menacing tone. He groaned.

"Will I ever see her again?" Natsu whined into his scarf.

Levy smirked. "I can't say for certain…" she drew out, "but knowing Lucy, she'll buck up her resolve soon." She paused for a moment. "Natsu, Lucy's never had a boyfriend–"

"Argh! Why is everyone telling me that! I know she hasn't! What's the big deal?"

"Are you seriously that thick? Do you think, after never mustering the courage to date anyone, that she'd be willing to risk her best friend on something that is a complete unknown to her?"

The words jarred Natsu out of his self-pity. "Lucy is a smart girl, and as much as her heart dictates her life, her brain does, too. If she doesn't think it's worth the risk, she'd rather break her heart than lose you."

_Break her heart?_ Lucy cared that much for him? Levy chuckled. "She hasn't realized it yet, but she does."

"Wha–" _I guess I said that out loud_, he thought. _Oops_.

"You guys have always been close," Levy continued. They came to the park, and Levy took a seat on the steps next to the fountain. Natsu sat at the lip of the foutain and glowered down into its watery depths. "This was bound to come up sooner or later, but you have to understand that Lucy worked hard to never let herself consider you as more than a friend. She valued your friendship, the peace of your team, and being in Fairy Tail too much to think of you as more than nakama."

_I guess I really have been blind_, he reflected. But of course, Lucy knew more about relationships and feelings than most people in the guild. _Silly bookworm_. Unaware of Levy's scrutinizing gaze, he smiled at his thoughts. Levy shook her head and sighed at his lovestruck countenance.

She watched his face rearrange into familiar resolve. Before he could do anything, Levy offered just a bit more advice. "Natsu, just go slow with her," she said. "Don't give up, but don't rush into it like you do with everything. This is different, and you'll have to actually read the situation so you don't hurt her."

Natsu looked down at the blue-haired mage. He never really talked to her, but damn she was perceptive and nice. _A lot like Lucy_. He grinned. "Thanks, Levy! I'll do my best!" He jumped up and made to scamper off… somewhere.

Before he'd run too far away, he yelled behind him, "Good luck with Iron-Breath!"

] | [

Alright, this was it. It was morning, and it was the fourth day, and he'd be damned if he went another day without Lucy in it. He'd barely been able to sleep (like the previous three nights) due to thoughts and memories of his arms wrapped around her, heat encompassing them, and their lips sliding and pressing against each other's. After talking with Levy (and Cana), he had a better idea of Lucy's feelings, but today he was going to find out for sure.

"Geez, Natsu, what's the rush?" Happy asked when said dragon-slayer lept out of his hammock. "Today's the day, Happy ol' buddy!" Natsu exclaimed, to which Happy groaned. "He's finally lost it!" Natsu laughed.

"Alright, I'm going to Lucy's!" Happy blinked at his friend. It was still really early, and Lucy hated mornings…

"Natsu, wait!" The pink-haired mage halted mid-step at the threshold of the front door. "What?"

"You just woke up– and you smell! Go shower and brush your teeth!"

Natsu sniffed his armpit. "Eh, you're probably right," he said before stomping off to the stream a little ways back from their house.

Happy mentally congratulated himself. Lucy wouldn't appreciate a smelly Natsu early in the morning, so instead she'd get a clean Natsu in the early afternoon. Perfect! Those fools never valued him as much as he deserved.

] | [

Natsu hummed. He hadn't smelled her scent so clearly in so long. He perched on the beam underneath her window, simply basking in the scent of her unique aroma. It played with his head, and called up the surfeit of emotions he associated with her, but he enjoyed it nonetheless. Steeling his intent and wrestling his excitement, his flipped gracefully over the windowsill and onto her bed.

His eyes fell immediately to her sleeping form. She was curled up in her armchair, a book open on her lap, and tea and an empty plate on her coffee table. His heart tugged at the sight of her and drank her in – from golden hair cascading over the arm of the chair, to her face half-hidden in the cushion, one arm thrown over her chest and the other trailing down to the floor, to her long legs, one tucked up against her body and the other dangling over the opposite arm of the chair, had she always looked so good? So feminine and appealing?

He'd always been proud to call her his partner, but that was because she had the magic, brains, and heart that equaled his in a way that balanced and enabled him to be his very best. Now he felt something inside roaring that she be his partner in a different way, and how fucking awesome and proud he'd be of that.

He crossed and kneeled next her, unaware of Happy slipping in the window and hiding behind the lamp on the bookshelf behind her bed. Bending over her, he brushed her bangs back from her eyes with careful fingers. Her breath smelled of mint tea and washed over him with each exhale. Gazing down at her in wonder, he closed the distance between himself and her magnetic skin, pressing kisses to her neck just below her ear. He fumbled with the book, knocking it to the floor in favor of wrapping his arms around her waist. She just smelled too fucking good, and her skin was so smooth and warm and it tasted delicious.

She responded to the action slowly, groaning quietly and stretching her body away from the contact. _Oh hell no,_ Natsu thought. His arms clamped tighter around her and kept her close, while his mouth veered down and sucked at the juncture of her neck and shoulder. Heat spread through his body at her taste and he found himself pressed against the side of the chair in an effort to get close to her.

"Wha–? Natsu?" Lucy mumbled groggily. Her hands had made their way to his shoulders. Her body flushed as she felt what he was doing, and, when she tried to gain some distance between them she was stymied by the cushions of the chair. "Natsu, what're you doing?" He responded by gently biting down on the skin between his lips – just enough to get her attention and leave a mark – and she moaned, her hands digging into the muscles of his arms. He sucked lightly, enjoying the furious pace of her heart, and moved one hand from her waist to her hip.

"Ugh, Natsu, really…" She began weakly. He broke away from her throat to kiss her fully on the mouth. He moaned at the contact; her lips were warm and wet and tasted so _good_. He pulled away and looked down at her, loving the expression of surprise mixed with the blush on her face. "I'm sorry, Luce, I couldn't stay away any longer," he stated, before kissing her again and pressing her back into the chair. He couldn't get close enough to her!

He felt her hands move, one to grip his hair and the other to cup his shoulder. Her legs moved to settle one on either side of his hips from where he remained kneeling on the floor and he responded by gripping her thigh with a burning hand. She was burning him up, and they both groaned as their bodies rocked against each other. He licked at her lips with his tongue, wanting that taste and feeling again from that night almost a week before. When she opened her mouth to his and he felt her tongue against his, he nearly growled. The touch sent fire coursing through his veins, and he couldn't get enough of her.

All too soon, he felt Lucy trying to diminish the frenzy he'd worked up._ No! _He thought. _Not now, it's been too long, I need this…_ He needed something, and being close to her felt amazing. Suddenly, Levy's words came to mind, _'you need to go slow with her, or you'll hurt her.'_ The memory effectively calmed him down and he pulled back to look at her. Her eyes were smoky and glazed over with desire, the skin of her face was flushed pink, and her breathing came raggedly. She frowned up at him, her mouth still open, and it took all of his will not to dive back down and get lost in her.

He swayed back onto his heels and ran a hand through his hair. "Sorry, Lucy. I just can't seem to control myself right now."

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then smiled despite the embarrassment he could practically taste from her. "It's not just you," she replied in a low voice he wouldn't have caught if his senses weren't extra-sharp. He grinned.

Lucy huffed and sat up, her head in her hands. Natsu held his breath, waiting for her reaction.

"Luce…?"

She peeked at him over her fingers. "It's okay, Natsu," she said. "I just… I've been thinking, obviously…" She stood, picking up her mug and plate before making her way to the kitchen. Natsu stood and denied the urge to follow her. _Give her space_, a voice that sounded like Levy's whispered in his head. _Okay, I can do this. Don't mess it up!_

He watched Lucy set the items into the sink and lean against the counter for a moment. Was she upset now? He replayed their previous interaction, and he knew she was as into it as he was. He balled his fists at his sides; patience did not come easily to him!

When she turned and looked at him, he couldn't help but move to her. "Don't be sad, Lucy!" He cried at the broken look on her face. "What's wrong?"

Lucy sniffled. "I'm just… scared. I love being with you and being on the team… What if we mess everything up?"

He grabbed at her small shoulders. "We won't," he said forcefully. She gazed up at him as if to ask _'are you sure?'_ He grinned. "Where's my brave and resourceful partner? Where's the Lucy Heartphilia who won't hesitate to stand up against Phantom Lord, Brain of the Oración Seis, Hades, or any other terrifying villain?" He joked.

She smiled weakly at him, and he took it as an encouraging sign. He stepped closer to her and dipped forward, kissing her neck again. He felt heat and longing well within him at the simple touch of her flesh. "Do you need more convincing?" He voiced in a tone that suggested dark desires. He chuckled at her gasp and sucked harder at her skin.

Happy applauded his own stealth as he crept back out the window. Finally, not boring!

] | [

Summer quickly amped up the heat, personifying Natsu's interactions with Lucy. Kissing her immediately became his favorite thing to do, tied with fighting a rival and proving his dominance. The guild wondered at his newfound self-possession, as he'd gotten into less fights in the past weeks than usual. However, the members of Fairy Tail were quick to notice the knowing expressions on several key mages' faces, namely Cana, Levy, and Mirajane.

"I just can't believe it," Gray grumbled into a mug of beer. Lucy had just left to 'write a few chapters of her book' with Natsu following behind not long after. They were so obvious. How'd Natsu, idiot pink-haired fire-eater, snag _Lucy_, arguably the prettiest girl in the guild?

"Hmm, I'm not sure an inter-guild romance is the best idea…" Erza mused aloud. Gray just rolled his eyes at her while Juvia grew pale at the ex-quip mage. _Does she disapprove of my love for Gray-sama?_

Levy walked over to Cana, who smirked. "She seems happy, right?" Levy asked. Cana nodded. "No doubt. Lucky little hussy, I haven't gotten any in ages." Levy blushed at the older girl's words, and chanced a look over at Gajeel. Said dragon-slayer smiled provocatively at her, and she answered with an "eep!" but didn't break eye contact.

] | [

Natsu groaned at their position amidst the blankets. They'd been consciously avoiding kissing on the bed – instead pressing against the kitchen counter, the wall next to the bathroom, up against her table, his couches – but here they found themselves, back to the scene of the crime more than a month before. Natsu smirked against her ravenous mouth and brought his hands up to cup her chest. She moaned at the contact and he took a moment to wonder at how familiar he'd become with her body in these few short weeks.

Despite her rather sizeable assets, her frame was small and even though they were relatively the same height, she fit perfectly within his embrace. The feel of her smaller form pressing up from beneath him turned him on so much so that he couldn't help bucking his hips against her. Just like they'd been careful to shun the bed, they'd been hesitant to move too fast. Natsu had taken Levy's warning to heart, and it had proved invaluable to him. (Somewhere at the guild, Happy sneezed.)

Lucy griped Natsu's hair with both her hands and tugged forcefully. He grunted and pulled his mouth from hers. Her scent surrounded him, thick and heady, and shrouded his brain in a haze of lust. He mindlessly kissed down her jaw to her throat, working on passion and instinct alone, his hands grasping and kneading her chest. Without his mouth on her, Lucy couldn't quell the small noises of appreciation that escaped her. Natsu sucked at her collarbone before continuing further to kiss the swell of a breast. Gods, but she was so soft and feminine. He buried his face in her flesh while clenching his fingers in a way he knew she liked, making Lucy whine and pitch her hips up into him.

He couldn't help himself. The thought had been driving him crazy the more they physically got to know each other, and he deliberately moved one of his hands down to cup her through her shorts. She squealed and locked her legs together, trying to force his hand away from her, but he bit at her chest in retaliation.

"Natsu!" She gasped, startled. He had no idea what to say – should he ask her? – so instead he brazenly moved his fingers against the pliable flesh beneath the denim shorts. Her reaction was instantaneous and intense; her eyes rolled back and her whole body arched, as if to offer itself to him. He was sure she didn't mean to, but her hips bucked into his hand and he felt a surge of emotion overtake him – he did this. He made her lose control like this, he made her skin slick and flush, he made her so hot he could smell it, and he would be the only one ever to see her, be with her, like this. He would never let her go, and he wasn't about to stop, either.

Wanting to feel her against him, Natsu leaned back down and kissed her. She whimpered against his mouth when he began moving his fingers to massage her. He pressed further into her and she broke contact with his lips to breathe his name, which had him grunting and panting in response. He was so hard he could explode without even a touch.

"Lucy – gods – you're so hot," he ground out against the side of her face, absently kissing her cheek as his total attention focused on his hand and the new feel of her. The fabric of her shorts was really starting to piss him off, so he used his other hand to unbutton and unzip them. Lucy, too far gone to do much else, shimmied her hips to facilitate him. Soon, his hand felt a much different texture beneath his fingers – lacy underwear, soaked through and plastered to her. He made a move to slip his fingers beneath it, but she grabbed his wrist. He looked up at her. "No," she said, discomfort blooming on her face. "Please… just not yet." Natsu nodded, but resumed tracing her outline through her underwear. Her grip on his wrist went slack, until she moved the hand to grip his bicep.

Natsu was torn in the most delicious way possible; did he watch her face, kiss her, or watch his hand touch her most private area? All of these were priceless opportunities, so he partook in all three while she wriggled, moaned, and clutched at him. Due to his acute interest in every detail of her, Natsu soon found what part of her made her scream and what part hinted at other activities. He concentrated his fingers on the area that had her keening, and he could feel anticipation and tension growing between them. He lifted her knee to wrap her leg around his waist and he couldn't help his own hips pressing into hers, his hand between them.

He kissed her harder than he ever had before, seeming to attempt to swallow her pleasure. Heat prickled at his skin and he groaned at the contact of his entire body against hers. He pressed his fingers harder into her at the same time he seized her chest and bit down on a nipple through her shirt. Her body arched and froze in the same moment a mellow howl dragged out past her lips.

Natsu's hand stilled against her as he pulled back to blink at her. _Wow_, he thought. _That sound…_ He grinned. It was a noise he would never tire of. Lucy took a few calming breaths and then opened her eyes to look up into his. His grinning face made her blush and swat at him. He only laughed and kissed her, then withdrew his hand. Without thinking, he brought his fingers to his face and sniffed them, completely unaware of Lucy's horrified face. The smell tugged at his already over-taxed groin. He licked his fingers, growling softly deep in his throat, before Lucy tackled him. She flipped them over while simultaneously ripping her shirt over her head.

The dirty smirk she gave him could've melted demon-ice with its intensity. "I had no idea you were so good with your hands…" she spoke in a husky voice. Natsu only gulped. "L–Lucy?"

"Hmm?" She hummed against his throat, grinding her hips into his and smoothly sliding his vest off him. He bonelessly helped her along, shrugging his shoulders and tilting forward. She kissed his chest as her hands grabbed at his shoulders, his arms, his waist, his hips… Her fingers traced and charted all the contours of his muscles, and left a path of glowing, sensitive skin in their wake. She strained forward to kiss his lips as one of her hands moved down to touch him through his pants. He hissed and groaned, and completely missed the look of shock and embarrassment on his partner's face. Quickly recovering, Lucy gave herself a pep-talk as Natsu arched his neck to the side, his eyes scrunched closed. After an experimental squeeze rewarded her with another delightful noise, she grinned down at him. _Oh this will be fun…_

\- ] | [ -

* * *

A/N: Before the Edolas arc, I had this idea of Happy being some kind of little demon whose magic was fueled by sexual tension (which was why he was always saying something), and, having never really rid myself of the image, I can totally see him perving on the NaLu action. And also, this story is basically just about perving, so why not let Happy get his fill. (That said, Juvia's got to the be the worst – all she does is imagine/ogle naked Gray and talk about making babies; that girl has to be a nympho. Why won't Mashima give us more background on her, anyway? A girl made of water, you know, that's not interesting or anything.)

A/N: I'm pretty reluctant to write a full-blown lemon, so you might just be getting a lime-y epilogue for the next chapter. I'll see how it goes. Thank you so much for everyone who has supported this story – it has been a blast to write, especially knowing people out there are enjoying it!

Hoped you liked it! (And that I didn't let you down! 80 followers- holy shit!)


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: this chapter steals heavily from ATLA (Avatar: The Last Airbender). There's only so much I can come up with myself, and I like to think of it as paying homage instead of being lazy… I also made up Ivy Town, just figured it fit with the naming scheme.

A/N: So this is the longest chapter of my life. Seriously, it's a beast (I'm sorry for that, it definitely got away from me; I could've split in in half but I didn't want to do that to you all). Last chapter! Enjoy, you incredible readership!

* * *

"what's the big deal?"

\- ] chapter 5 [ -

"What's wrong with you, ash-face?" Gray taunted Natsu, who had his head down at their table in the guildhall for the third time that afternoon.

"Lucy kicked him out this morning!" Happy obligingly informed the table. Natsu grumbled into his scarf but didn't lift his head. It had been a good morning! Waking up slowly beside Lucy (she let him under the blanket last night!) proved to be the best way to start the day. It sure beat Igneel spitting water at him.

"Seriously, bro, you're pathetic. You don't see me pining after some chick," Gray derided, causing Juvia's face to fall. _How does love-rival do it? _The water-girl thought as she brought her hands to her face. _Is it the bikinis? But Juvia isn't like that!_

"No, you just have crazy chicks stalk you." Juvia quickly blushed at Natsu's words. _What's stalking?_ _Oh,_ _all this talk of love is too much for Juvia!_

"Ah, the joys of young love, so precious and rare. Savor it!" Erza commended, surpring Wendy. _Young love?_ Erza's wistful smile further shocked the small dragonslayer. _Is this Erza?_

"Don't you think you're smothering the girl?" Gray sneered.

"We're not alone – Happy's there most of the time!" Natsu pouted. All eyes turned to said cat, who had the courtesy to look ashamed. In the minds of all seated, simultaneous images flashed of Happy watching the couple go at it.

"...Gross," Gray commented after an awkward moment. _Are they exhibitionists?_ Erza thought, stunned and slightly intrigued.

"It's not like that!" Happy immediately countered, but the damage had been done.

At that moment, the guildhall doors opened and Lucy walked in, smiling. Happy flew straight into her arms. "Everyone's being so mean, Lu-shee!" He whined into her shirt.

Lucy laughed and stroked his fur. "Don't listen to them! You know how Fairy Tail is - tease and tease alike."

At the sound of her voice, Natsu had perked up and watched the interaction with a jealous eye. Maybe Happy did spend too much with them…

"Hey Lucy!" Natsu called above the others greeting her. When she met his gaze, she smiled a warm grin that sent a rush of happiness through him.

Lucy greeted the table and sat down next to Erza. Natsu tried not to pout; _I wanted to sit next to her!_ He hadn't touched her warm skin since that morning... "What's new?" she began.

Erza replied, "We found a mission request that I believe will suit us well." The exquip mage took a paper out from under the sleeve of her armor and passed it to the blonde.

"Yeah!" Natsu exclaimed. "And there'll be _fighting_!"

"Natsu, you know all Lucy cares about is the reward!" Happy said snidely.

"Look who's not so sensitive anymore," Lucy replied under her breath, not taking her eyes off the paper. "So they want us to find out why people at the village are getting sick?" She asked Erza, who nodded. "Incidents like this reek of dark magic." Natsu felt the thrill of anticipation at a good fight, and Lucy's frown only made him laugh_. I'll protect you, Lucy, like always. Don't worry!_

] | [

That night, Natsu paced in Lucy's apartment. He had been respectful long enough – they'd seen each other naked plenty of times by now (and alone together no less), so there shouldn't be a problem with this, right?

Taking a deep breath and enjoying her scent weighing heavy on the warm air, he pulled the curtain back and stepped into the shower behind Lucy.

"Kya!" She yelled, spinning around and almost falling. She leaned back against the wall beneath the showerhead and covered her breasts. Natsu laughed while Lucy flushed bright red all the way down to her chest, then gave an "eep!" before moving a hand to conceal the area between her legs.

"Oh come, Luce, I know your body pretty well by now," he tried to reassure her though he couldn't help the smirk on his face. He felt the water spray him but he didn't take his eyes off his partner.

"That's not the point, Natsu! It's improper to shower together!" she screeched, still red.

Natsu took a step to her, grasping her shoulders and kissing her. "Have you ever known me to care about what's proper? That's Erza's job, not ours."

Lucy turned away. "Don't bring up Erza when we're naked in the shower together," she pouted, earning another chuckle from Natsu.

"Don't worry, Luce, I'll give you all my attention," he smirked. Lucy caught his eyes and he grinned at how dark hers had become. _That's more like it,_ he thought as he watched her gaze lower to take in his body. He dropped his arms and took a step back to survey the water rolling down her curves. From her shoulders to her chest, down her stomach, her legs, he was struck by just how beautiful and sexy she was. That someone like her existed, in all her feminine glory, was almost unfair. _And she's mine_.

Lucy herself had similar thoughts, blocking out those of her shower, and it was his turn to nearly fall when she pounced on him. He moaned at the feel of her hot, wet body sliding against his as their mouths met before he wrapped arms around her to steady them and keep her close. He quickly made enough space to work a hand between them and cupped and carressed her chest while she clutched at his arms and back. She wasted no time deepening the kiss and he groaned when her tongue glided against his. Her fingers digging into his skin and massaging his muscles felt so good and her flesh beneath his hands both had him pressing his hips to hers. He edged a hand down to her backside and grabbed at the muscle, making her moan.

He switched them around and pushed her against the wall behind him. With one hand still at the nap of her neck and his mouth sucking at her lips, he moved his other hand to tease her center. He grinned against her lips in anticipation and she didn't disappoint. As his finger slipped into her, she released a long, sexy moan and bucked against him. _Gods but she drives me crazy. _Lucy threw her head back and Natsu focused his kisses to her exposed throat, then traced her ear with his tongue all while building a pace inside her. He loved how he could feel her skin heat up and hear her heartbeat soar. Knowing he could do this to her and make her feel this good made something inside him burn with new emtions: awe, happiness, possessiveness. Everything about his time with her now was new but oh so welcome. _Who knew this adventure would be waiting here for us?_

Suddenly, Lucy hand grasped his wrist. He growled against her shoulder and bit at her lightly. "N-Natsu," her voice was low and breathless and he loved it. "Natsu wait."

He reluctantly pulled back from her. She wasn't rejected him, was she? He remained quiet and simply looked at her. She flushed at the sight of him, then closed her eyes. "We need to either slow down or… or have sex," she explained quietly.

Natsu's mind went blank. _Slow down or have sex?_ Through the shocked empty space, his mind conjured up ideas of having sex with Lucy – the feel of her beneath him, the look of pleasure on her body, what it might feel like to be inside her… Holy shit.

"Are you fucking with me?" He heard himself say, still distracted by his imagination.

Lucy simply shook her head, her cheeks blazing. "No. I just– we've done pretty much everything else and it's been… good, I mean I certainly like it, but I keep feeling like I want more."

He couldn't breathe. Sex with Lucy. Sex with Lucy and her incredible body, and her beautiful smile, and her fucking delicious scent. He stepped forward.

Lucy raised a hand to push lightly against his chest. "Not now, Natsu!" she shrieked. Natsu felt his shoulders tense. _Okay_, he thought. _Okay, so she's ready but still nervous_. Then his mind latched onto what she had said earlier.

"So what we've done together is just… good?" He arched an eyebrow at her. Satisfaction spread through him at her face. "Wha– Ah…" Natsu knelt in front of her and eased a hand between her knees before kissing her thigh.

She whimpered and he felt the muscles of her legs clench. "No, no, great, wonderful, fantanstic…" He smirked into her skin but didn't stand nor stop. Her words died slowly, trailing into a long, low moan as his tongue and fingers found her center. _That's what I thought._

] | [

The trip to the village was long; it was settled outside Ivy Town, which sat at the foot of the mountains opposite Blue Pegasus' headquarters. They enlisted the help of Wendy (they were dealing with sick villagers, afterall, despite Charle's protests) and she'd cast _Troia_ for Natsu.

"Wow, who knew how cool Fiore looked like this!" He exclaimed from against the glass of the window.

"Natsu, lean back in your seat – you'll give yourself motion sickness despite Wendy's spell," Lucy admonished, pulling on his shoulder. His eyes closed at the pressure of her touch. How had he never noticed before? How her touch always calmed him, how her presence always made him peaceful and content.

"I wanna go play in those woods," he whined. Lucy laughed in response and then snapped her hands to cover her mouth. "Crap! I don't want to wake Happy, we don't have any more fish!" She gestured to the sleeping cat on her lap. Natsu glared at the animal. _Definitely too much time with us._

"Tomcat sleeps so much – how lazy," Charle said from her seat on Wendy's lap.

"It's not his fault he can't sleep because of Natsu's snoring," Gray chimed in.

"Hey!" Natsu yelled at the same time Erza said, "We will not fight amongst our team."

"Yes, sir!" Both Gray and Natsu responded. Lucy just shook her head and stroked Happy's fur while Wendy giggled.

Once out of the carriage, they walked into a village that seemed deserted. Wooden houses boasted shut doors and flapping curtains, but the streets were still and silent.

"Wow, where is everyone?" Lucy asked into the quiet.

"I don't like this," Gray said.

Wendy moved closer to Lucy, who took her hand. Natsu caught a glimpse of the action, but his focus remained on assessing the situation.

"They must all be inside," Erza surmised. "Let's look around and see who we can find to get some information."

Natsu looked up at Happy. "Let's go, buddy!" He said as the cat flew down to grab hold of him. Before leaving, Natsu caught Erza's gaze. The mage nodded at his unspoken request, _keep the others safe_. As much as he wanted to stay by her side, the fastest way to ensure Lucy's safety was to get rid of the danger himself.

Natsu found the villagers collected on the eastern outskirts of the village where large tents had been constructed. There weren't nearly as many villagers as he would've guessed.

"Hey everyone!" He greeted as Happy set him down. "I'm with a team from Fairy Tail, we took your request."

"Oh, thank you," spoke an elderly woman who'd come forward. "You couldn't have come soon enough, we have many ill and dying here. I'm Naija." She gestured to the make-shift beds under the main tent. Natsu frowned at the sight. "Happy, go get Wendy and Charle, quick!"

"Aye, sir!" Happy said from the air before zooming out of sight. Natsu turned back to the woman. "So what seems to be going on?"

The Naija's eyes watered. "The people of our village have always been industrious and pious," she began and Natsu had to work hard to keep from huffing. _Where's Lucy when you need her?_ He thought. _I can't understand this lady!_

"However, this illness began slowly, possibly as early as a decade ago. At first only a few people each year fell sick, but now, unfortunately, most of the people in our village are afflicted." She walked through the rows of blankets and people lying prone on the ground. "We can no longer keep our way of life," she finished sadly.

"What's wrong with them?" Natsu asked, seeing the people quiet and still.

"It is a peculiar malady – the sick first become feverish, then hostile, leading to a coma. They last in that that state for anywhere between a week to a year or so before they pass. It is quite erratic and inconsistent, and therefore difficult to treat or prevent. There have been no survivors once the illness has been contracted."

Natsu felt his frustation grow the longer Naija spoke. _This damn lady and her stupid words! Where's Wendy; I need to go fight something!_

"Natsu-san!" Wendy called from the air not a moment later. When she landed he relayed to her what he'd been told, then introduced her to Naija.

"Good luck!" He waved as he took off with Happy to join the others. Wendy had told him they'd found a temple on the opposite side of the town and decided to check it out.

The temple certainly possessed a creepy quality; mist hung in the air above the river and, where the water had pooled and slowed in an alcove, a small temple had been built. Its sloping, peaked layered roof would have been beautiful if not for the dark magic emanating from it. Trees hung, like fingers reaching towards it, from the circle of the recess.

Following the shouts of his teammates, he found Erza, Gray, and Lucy fighting what looked like a laundry bag floating above the water on the other side of the temple.

"Natsu!" Lucy cried with relief when she saw him. He grinned at her – even dirty and soaked she looked beautiful.

"More numbers will not give you the upper hand," spoke the laundry bag, its hollow, haunting voice giving Natsu goosebumps.

"This is a spirit demon, Natsu," Erza replied in her calm, authoritative voice, and effectively sobered Natsu from his diverted attention. She had doned her favorite armor with the multitude of swords. "None of our attacks have been successful."

"Hey, speak for yourself," Gray said. "It froze when I hit it with my ice." Erza glared at the boy. "Okay, then quickly shook off the ice. Whatever."

"As far as I can tell," Lucy began, "this demon wasn't made for fighting; it's just a lady in a hat and veil. I think she's poisoning the water, which made the villagers sick."

"So there is one among you who does not rely on violence to solve problems," the spirit said. "No matter, her brains will not be enough to defeat me," its voice echoed for a moment after it finished, before disappearing into the vapor.

"Shit," Natsu said, running a hand through his hair. "How the fuck do we defeat a demon that doesn't fight? I just want to burn something!"

Lucy tapped a finger against her lips as she surveyed the area. Her eyes quickly locked onto the flow of the river and followed it up the side of the mountain. "Ah!" She exclaimed, pointing to something further up the river. "We need to check out– Kyaa!" Lucy flew into the air and slammed into the water.

"Lucy!" Natsu yelled and darted forward only to be stopped by Erza's arm. "Wait," she said. "The water is poisoned. Nothing can be gained by you going in after her."

Natsu growled. "You think I give a damn about poison! That's Lucy!" His body heated up and flames grew to lick at his clothes. "I'll burn that fucking water away–"

Just then, Lucy's body emerged from the surface of the water. Her head and arms drooped and her body moved jerkily, as if she were being yanked around by puppet strings. The other three Fairy Tail mages watched, suspicious, as their friend and teammate hung in the air. Soon, they could make out low cackling over the rush of the river.

"I may not be suited well for fighting," the voice of the spirit began and the veiled lady appeared behind Lucy, "but we shall see how well you do against your own." Lucy's head jerked back and Natsu could see her eyes were screwed shut and strange red marks adorning her eyes, cheeks, and chin. She lifted a fist and took off towards Erza. The exquip mage attempted to dodge, but Lucy's speed surprised them, and she managed to strike Erza in the shoulder, who grimaced at the hit and fell to a knee.

"She's stronger than she looks," Erza said to the other two. "We cannot take her lightly."

"This body may not be your best fighter, but with my strength and fury she will fit my purposes."

"If you think I'm gonna fight Lucy, you're dead wrong," Natsu said, his stomach churning at the idea of hitting his lover. He watched her body float back over to the spirit, who in turn seemed to drink in their struggle.

Gray agreed. "He's right – this doesn't sit well with me."

Erza opened her mouth to reply, but was cut off by Lucy. "You guys, I can take a hit! I don't want to hurt you either – you have to fight me!" All three mages gaped at the girl. Lucy gave a small smile. "She can control my body, but not my mind."

"She speaks because I allow her to," the spirit informed them. "And that is enough to make this fun. Go." And Lucy was once again streaming toward her friends.

"Erza, at least put your frickin' swords away!" Natsu yelled as he moved to catch Lucy, who'd gone straight for Gray this time. He caught her shoulders and tried to maneuver her into a headlock. _It's worked before_, he thought. _I have to put an end to this now!_ Instead this time, Lucy stomped on his foot and threw her head back to hit his nose. "Ow!" He yelled, just as Lucy's elbow flew to jab his stomach. "Fuck!" Lucy turned out of his grasp and aimed a punch at Gray.

"Ice-make, handcuffs!" He shouted as ice formed at Lucy's wrists and forearms. The spirit laughed. "All the water here – even in the air – belongs to me!" And they watched the ice melt and drip off her.

At this, Erza dove on Lucy and tried to hold her down in the dirt and debris of the riverside. The spirit laughed again when Lucy's leg twisted free to kick Erza in the head.

Natsu and Gray watched the two struggle. "That's kinda hot..." Gray said. "I kinda wish Lucy fought more." Natsu punched his friend out of reflex but didn't take his eyes off the girls. The boys blinked once more, then, when Erza found her hands wrapped around her friend's throat, she yelled at her companions. "Get your asses over here and help me!"

Before they could reach the girls, the spirit yelled and Lucy began to glow. The light exploded, flinging Erza and leaving Lucy singed and bruised. "You must fit her! No more of this pathetic strategy," the spirit decreed.

"Fuck," Natsu breathed again as he looked at Lucy's battered body.

"Hey Natsu!" Happy hollered from the air. "I checked out what Lucy was pointing to before – there's a dam up the mountainside! I think she wanted us to go there!"

"Alright, lil' buddy!" Natsu cheered. Unfortunately, Lucy had used this opportunity to punch him in the face. "Ow, shit!" he said, stumbling back from his assailant.

Lucy turned to Erza, who blocked her punch but took a kick to the side. Erza immediately struck back, catching Lucy's jaw and snapping her head to the side. At the same time, Erza landed a kick to the other girl's shoulder, then shoved her down.

"Okay, okay," Natsu intoned and pushed Erza back away from Lucy. "You and Gray follow Happy and see what's up with that dam up there. I'll take care of Lucy."

"Aye, sir!"

"Good, I don't want to get in the middle of this," Gray said as he walked over to Erza. "There's nothing useful we can do here."

Erza remained for a moment and waited until Natsu looked her way. "We will put an end to this immediately," she said before running to catch up with the others.

Natsu sighed and looked at Lucy. He couldn't ignore how his heart ached at her bruised and bleeding body. He settled into a fighting stance. _I just have to stall long enough for them to do their thing,_ he thought. _My fire won't hurt her, so I have to make sure not to hit too hard._ For several minutes they exchanged blows without real damage to either side.

"If you won't take this seriously, fire-mage," the spirit spoke, "then I will simply hurt her myself." At this, Lucy's body slammed into a tree and she grunted. Her arms twisted behind her, and Natsu heard the hollow _pop!_ as one shoulder burst from its socket. Lucy grit her teeth but a sob escaped.

"No! No, I'll fight!" Natsu screamed. "Just leave her alone!" He hated feeling this helpess! The spirit just laughed.

"You know what else her body tells me," she whispered in his hear. "I can feel how her heart beats faster with your proximity. I can feel how her body reacts to you, and I can tell you two have been… intimate." Natsu snarled. How dare this bitch abuse their feelings for each other! The spirit grinned wide. "How does it feel to watch your lover suffer?"

Natsu sent a torrent of wild flames at the spirit, but she simply vanished and took up her place back over the water. "Fight her! _Now!_"

Natsu turned back to Lucy. "I'm sorry, Luce, I'll try to make this quick. Hopefully the others will finish soon." As they recommenced their battle, Natsu did his best to limit contact to only glancing blows, covered by huge bouts of fire; she'd be bruised, but nothing too major or difficult to heal. The dislocated shoulder would be her worst injury if he had any control over it. Fortunately, the spirit seemed content to wallow in the injuries Lucy inflicted on him – she'd landed impressively strong strikes to his head, shoulders, and chest. _Damn Lucy can pack a punch. Who knew she'd be this quick, either?_

Soon, he noticed her hits become weaker and slower… _What? _He asked himself when Lucy stopped moving altogether; she stood motionless from her position in front of him. He glanced over to the spirit but found the air above the water clear. Suddenly, Lucy crumpled to the ground like a doll. He sprang to catch her and he lowered them both to the ground.

"Ugh, Natsu," she spoke through aching vocal chords. "Are you okay?" she asked, reaching a hand up to wipe blood from his temple. Her eyes filled with tears. "I'm so sorry!"

He caught her hand and felt answering tears burn his eyes. "It's okay," he voiced, his tone pleading and broken. He kissed her fingers, then tightened his arms around her and kissed her on the mouth. "It's all okay now," he repeated, cradling her in his arms as she cried into his neck. _I'll kill that fucking spirit with my own bare hands! _He thought, his emotions raging inside him at Lucy's pain.

Soon enough, Happy, Erza, and Gray came running into the alcove. Natsu watched them through burning, desperate eyes and didn't move from where he held his partner.

"How is she?" Erza asked, crouching down beside them. Natsu pulled back a little to reveal that Lucy had passed out at some point.

"We need to get her to Wendy," he said simply. "What'd you find up there?"

Before any of the others could respond, a small figure, drapped in white clothes, a white veil, and a white, wide-brimmed hat, appeared.

Natsu growled at the sight and moved to shield Lucy with his body. "Not you, again!"

The figure smiled demurely amidst the red painted swirls on her face. "My apologies, fire-mage."

"I'm a dragonslayer!"

"Oh, dragonslayer," she said again, then turned to Erza, Gray, and Happy. "And friends, I am the Painted Lady, the guardian spirit of this village. I apologize for my behavior. As I'm sure you have figured out, the demon you found in the depths of the lake at the top of this river had poisoned the water.

"About twelve years ago, a demon from the book of Zeref, Ilzatz, had wandered into the area. Mages from Blue Pegasus were able to defeat it, but unfortunately they left the body where it'd fallen – submerged in the lake that served as the water source for this village and the surrounding area. As its body deteriorated, its malice polluted the water and began to poison the villages and the waters of my shrine, which in turn poisoned me. I was not myself, and I sincerely apologize for the harm and suffering I have caused.

"Thank you for rescuing me and my village. We are a peaceful, loving people, and it has hurt immensely to watch my people suffer while being helpless to save them." Natsu looked down at Lucy and echoed the sentiment.

"Will the people be okay?" Natsu started at hearing Lucy's question. He looked down at the girl on his lap. _I thought she was unconscious!_

"Precious girl, yes. They will all be well now that the evil has been eradicated. Thank you for your courage and heart. I ask your forgiveness especially."

Lucy lifted her head from Natsu's shoulder and peered over it to meet eyes with the spirit. "I forgive you, Painted Lady. I could feel your true emotions despite the evil that had overtaken you, too." Then Lucy smiled. "And I've never fought like that! It was kind of fun!"

Natsu scowled and, mindful of her injuries, tightened his arms around her small frame. "It was anything but fun, you idiot," he rumbled, to which Lucy blushed. "Alright," he said as he stood up, carrying Lucy with an arm around her shoulder and another beneath her knees. "We have to go meet up with Wendy."

He turned the guardian spirit. "See ya, laundry bag." _Hag_, he added in his head, then took off with a smirk. Gray and Happy followed, leaving Erza awkwardly with the Painted Lady.

"Please excuse him," she said. "He's just an idiot." The Painted Lady smiled and bowed. "My thanks, warrior. Safe travels on your journey home. It warms me to see how well you and your friends take care of each other – you are truly inspiring. I will be better the next time my village needs me."

] | [

By the time they met up with Wendy, Charle wouldn't let her near Lucy.

"The poor girl is too drained from helping the villagers! Lucy will be fine on her own until we make it back to the guild," the cat sternly insisted. Wendy protested, but her swaying steps and limp shoulders belied her words. In the end, the villagers let them spend the night. The evening proved celebratory as the villagers moved back into the homes they'd abandoned, being too afraid of the temple and the water.

Naija opened her home to the Fairy Tail mages, and they set down their stuff. Wendy dropped onto a bedroll while Natsu placed Lucy on another one. She whimpered as she was moved away from his warmth and the sound tore at him. "I'll stay here with the girls," he said as he took up position on the floor against the wall next to Lucy. "You guys go get dinner. Bring me something back, Happy!"

"Aye sir!"

After his friends had left, he moved to stretch out next to Lucy. He gingerly wrapped his arms around her and pulled closer to her. "Lucy," he whispered against her ear, pressing his lips into her hair and her neck. Sorrow, regret, and frustration all washed over him. "I can't believe I let this happen… that I actually had to hit you." His words murmured over her skin and she shivered, then turned to face him. She hissed at her wounds, but kissed him on the lips.

"Natsu, it's okay. I've been roughed up plenty of times before."

"But never by me! I've never str– I've never struck you," he stammered as his eyes filled with tears. He felt warm, slim fingers swipe at his cheeks. _Fingers that don't make fists, that aren't used for hurting._ She smiled at him and kissed him again, long and slow and full of tender affection. She made him forget his regret and he lost himself in the sweet pressure of her lips and her body in his embrace.

"I feel disgusting though, Natsu," she said after pulling back. "Take a bath with me?" She added with a grin, extending a hand in invitation as she moved to her knees.

] | [

The bath was somber; they had to refill it twice when the blood and dirt from both of them had stained the water. Natsu repentantly washed the blood from her skin and kissed her cuts and bruises. Each time his lips pressed against her ruined flesh, he felt knives, cold and sharp, pressing against his heart. This was his lover, his Lucy, whose body he'd bruised, whose skin he'd split, whose blood he'd spilled. Whose soul was the most gentle, the kindest, the warmest, the one he liked best and warded off his loneliness…

He didn't realize he'd paused, pressing his face against the back of her shoulder, until she turned in his grasp and kissed his forehead.

"Heat the water, Natsu, it's getting cold."

He chuckled dryly and complied, and she hummed against his chest as his body temperature rose. He felt her lips kiss his collar bone, then his throat, then his jaw, until they hovered just against his own lips. He surged forward and dominated her mouth, grabbing at the small of her back and her neck, heedless of her wounds. She responded in kind, rocking against him and moaning. As their tongues clashed, she slipped a hand between them.

"Touch me," she whispered as she wrapped her hand around him. "Our hands are for loving each other." She squeezed and pumped her fist on her him. He threw his head back and groaned. Even now? Even now she wanted to touch him and bring him pleasure.

"Lucy, stop."

Her hand hand stilled on him, but didn't let go. "No." Keeping contact, she pulled her lips from his cheek. "I'll do what I want, Natsu, and after fighting you today I want only to touch you… lovingly." She punctuated the last word with a hard kiss. Under the water, her hand moved again.

"Ah, Lucy," he hissed and, against his better judgement, allowed himself to be lost in her touch. He ducked his head to kiss her chest, pressing his face against her flesh and nipping at her. She rewarded him with a breathy gasp, and he found himself smiling. _This woman…_

Before he could finish, she pressed her lips up over his. He could feel the heat of her center against him and his mind went blank.

"No, Lucy!" He yelled, backing away and splashing water out of the tub. "Not now, after today, in a strangers house!"

She rubbed heated flesh against him, her hands at his shoulders. "Natsu…" She whined, and he felt cracks in his resolve. "No!" He repeated more forcefully and clenched his hands at her hips. He pushed her off him with a hand while the other released the drain.

"I will spend tonight," he whispered against her breast. "And every night you let me," he bit and sucked at her neck as his hands clasped her breasts and pressed them together, "making up for this."

Natsu claimed her lips again and moved forward, covering her body completely with his as the water sunk through the drain. He eased her legs apart and took her by the hips to set her against the lip of the tub and the wall. The soft, slick skin of her body called to him and he moved his hands to spread her knees further. _She smells clean but still like Lucy_, he thought, and both the scent and sentiment soothed him. Pressing his face into the cleavage created by his hands, he inhaled deeply and centered hiimself on the here and now.

He kissed his way down her form, pausing to suck at the skin next to her bellybutton. Her pulse raced at his attention and, he hummed at the knowledge, in anticipation as his fingers carressed her core.

"Ooh, Natsu." And he grinned against her thigh. _I will make you feel so good, Lucy_. His tongue flicked out to taste her and she whined, low and smooth from the back of her throat. Surrounded her warm skin, soft body, and heady scent, he lost himself in her flavor and her cries, slipping a finger into her and nibbling gently at her to urge her to higher pleasure.

Neither of them noticed Wendy at the door, who quickly flushed scarlet at Natsu's naked form kneeling, his head buried between Lucy's – also very naked – legs. Her hands slapped over her mouth and she darted back behind the doorjamb. She took a deep breath and slowly, quietly, closed the door to the bathroom_. I can pee later_, she decided.

] | [

Even despite his sickness – he refused Wendy's offer of casting _Troia_ so she could save up energy to heal Lucy – he sat beside Lucy and kept an arm around her the entire several rides back to Magnolia. They'd traveled through the night, and just as they reached Magnolia, Wendy announced she'd be fine if she healed Lucy now.

Watching the glowing air dance over his lover's body, he waited with held breath. Lucy grimaced several times, at her shoulder, a deep leg wound, and her bruised hands especially, and he felt his chest clench at each frown.

"I feel so weird lying on this bench with you all standing around," Lucy laughed awkwardly.

"It's good to see you laughing," Erza smiled gently at the blonde.

"It sucked having to fight you," Gray added. "You threw some good punches, though." Natsu turned furious eyes to Gray. "Shut the fuck up, ice bastard!"

Wendy scowled at the words, having heard a hushed explanation for Lucy's injuries from the Gray and Erza; Natsu and Lucy certainly weren't saying anything, and she'd been too shy to look them in the face anyway.

"What's the matter, Wendy?" Happy inquired. _Eep, caught!_ She quickly grinned – her face stretched a bit too wide – "Oh nothing."

"Boys, settle down," Erza demanded. Natsu returned his gaze back to Lucy.

"Sheesh, you almost done, Wendy?" Natsu moped, his arms crossing as he felt frustration at not being back with Lucy at her place. _Why is this taking so long?_

"Natsu!" Lucy, Erza, and Charle yelled in unison. Gray bonked him on his pink-haired skull. "Ow, assface!"

Another moment longer and Wendy's arms slipped to her sides. She ducked her head and Charle rubbed her back soothingly. "Are you okay, Wendy?" Her cat companion asked and the girl nodded tiredly.

Lucy sat up ran her hands up over arms. "Thank you, Wendy! You are so incredible." She gushed, wrapping the younger girl in a tight hug.

"Alright, alright." Natsu grabbed Lucy's arm and began dragging her down the street. "Let's go already!"

Happy made to fly after them, but Gray snatched his tail. "Sorry, buddy. They need some alone time."

"But why?" Happy pleaded. "I always leave before the good stuff!" Erza shook her head from her position up ahead as Gray dragged a hand down his face. Wendy blushed again and ran up with Charle to meet Erza.

"Most of the time…" Happy muttered under his breath when he was sure no one could hear.

] | [

"Lucy, let's shower!" Natsu advocated as soon the door to her apartment had closed. Lucy shook her head. "Now you're obsessed with hygiene? Does this have anything to do with us being naked?"

Lucy grabbed the front of his vest and backed him up against the door. "I don't feel like showering, Natsu…" She leaned forward and kissed him lightly. "Let's do something else."

Natsu gulped. The kiss alone wrecked havoc on his senses.

"Besides, I think it's my turn…"

"What do you mean 'your tu–'" Natsu trailed off as Lucy sucked at his neck and tugged at the waistband of his pants. She traced the muscles down the front of his body until she was kneeling in front him. Kissing the valley between his abs, she took him in her hands.

"Lucy, you don't have to…" She nipped at his skin. "That doesn't matter, bonehead." She smiled up at him. "I want to."

And he watched her mouth engulf him. _Fuck! _Her tongue slid against his sensitive skin, a hot, wet pressure, while she sucked hard. His head hit the wood of the door and he sunk a hand into her soft, cool hair. "Luce!" His hips jumped when he felt one of her hands clench the base of him and pump at the same time she pulled her mouth back and nibbled lightly at his tip.

Natsu's control quickly slipped. He gripped her hair tighter and she hummed against him, the vibration from which he felt from her throat to her tongue._ Oh good gods._ She sucked him back and forth for several more, glorious moments before he pulled her back.

"I'm not finishing unless it's with you." Although the sight of her swollen, red lips glistening with saliva and _him_… it was a sight that did things to his masculinity and his heart. _She is mine; this magnificent, beautiful creature is mine._

Lucy wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and giggled at the look on his face. He helped her up to her feet and quickly rushed her to the bed, divesting his clothing and hers as swiftly as his fingers allowed.

"Natsu, we've been together for a long time now, what's the rush?" She asked when her arm caught in the cloth of her vest.

"The rush, Lucy, is that it's our first time and I can't friggin wait!" He yelled, hopping on one foot to yank off his sandals. Lucy was left sitting on the bed in simply her underwear and Natsu a pair of boxers.

She laughed. "You're all fired up, huh?" He answered with a beaming smile. "You bet!"

Bending over her and kissing her gently, he whispered, "I love you, Lucy," before pecking her again. Her brown eyes were wide and shining as she pulled back to look at him. "Oh Natsu, I love you, too. So much." He felt her hands dig into his hair and she hauled him up over her and onto the bed.

Natsu willingly followed her lips when she settled back against the blanket and he pressed a leg between her. Kissing her harder, he moaned when her hips rocked back and forth against his thigh. It was just enough to give him a bit of pressure, and she was mewling at the contact.

He reached between them to touch her. _Maybe I could get her to come before we even do anything! That way if I fuck it up, tonight won't be a total disaster…_

"Uh, Natsu…" Lucy breathed as two fingers slid into her. Leaning down, he licked her chest and caught a nipple between his lips. Slowly sucking, he leisurely pumped his fingers in and out of her to deliberately tease her. Her hips bucked against him. "Natsu, please!"

He chuckled against her breast and hooked his fingers inside her warm, wet flesh, making her moan loudly. Her scent was quickly overtaking him and he raked his teeth against her skin as his other hand pulled at her breast. By her sounds, he could tell she was close. He leaned away from her for a moment to slip his other hand between them, then returned to kiss her neck as different fingers pressed against her clit.

Natsu quickly kissed her to swallow her moan as she came and his fingers lightly stroked her swollen, soaking skin. She opened eyes hazy and bright with pleasure and she pulled him down by the hair to kiss him roughly, spearing her tongue into his mouth.

"Now, Natsu. Inside me," she ordered, taking him in hand and pumping him for a moment. He looked down at her, this blonde-haired mage who literally ran into his life and away with him to Fairy Tail. "You are incredible, Lucy," he spoke softly. Kissing her forehead, then her mouth, he guided his length to her entrance and, after a try or two, slid into her. They both hissed at the new sensations.

Natsu had thought her mouth, with her soft lips and talented tongue, had been the best thing he'd ever encountered, but he'd been wrong. Inside, Lucy's soft, wet, hot flesh squeezed him in the most perfect way imaginable. He looked down to see what she felt, and his heart stuttered at her clenched-shut eyes.

"Luce? Lucy?" He called, stilled inside her and afraid to move.

"It's okay, Natsu, just… different. Tight." She gazed up at him with a brave smile and his heart melted. "There's just pressure where I've never felt before."

He bent down to kiss her. "Is it good?" He asked, lips against her cheek.

"Um," He felt her blush. "Try moving," she suggested.

"Are you sure?" He responded. "I don't want to hurt you, Luce…" She giggled softly and he was distracted by her chest for a moment. "Yes, I'm sure. Just do it!" She said and rocked her hips against him, stealing both of their breath away.

Moving had been a great idea. _Lucy is so smart._ _And beautiful,_ he thought._ And warm and wet and tight and ugh_… "Lucy you feel amazing," he groaned. Instinctively, he set a pace that had them both on edge in minutes.

"N-Natsu," she breathed, drawing out his name and drowning in the feel of him inside of her. Her hands raked down his back, nails digging into his skin in a way that only heightened his awareness and pleasure.

He growled and grabbed her hip. Thrusting forcefully into her, he lifted her leg up to wrap around his waist. She readily complied and they both moaned as he sunk deeper inside her. "Fuck," he gasped and Lucy bit his shoulder, her eyes closed and throat whined.

Natsu knew he couldn't keep this up; he was so close to the brink already, but he wanted to make it good for her! "Lucy!" He barked, plunging his hips faster and faster.

"Ugh, please, Natsu!" She answered mindlessly, her head thrown back and hair splayed around her. He narrowed his eyes and, with his last bit of sentience, brought his thumb down to rub her clit. Her noises immediately skyrocketed and Natsu couldn't help but let go at her sounds of pleasure. His world exploded in a white-hot flash of pleasure and his hips spasmed into her.

He opened his eyes a few breaths (or days) later and blinked from his position pillowed by her chest. _Mmh, this incredible chest_, he thought, kissing her heated skin. These breasts had led him to this point. _Thank you, thank you._ Lucy's heart beat rapidly and her breathing came in pants.

"Lucy…?" His voice trailed off because for some reason, he was too embarrassed to ask her if she enjoyed it. _We just did that and now I'm too self-conscious to say anything…_

He watched her head gracelessly lift off the bed. "Natsu, that was… mind-blowing," she determined. Her neck gave out and her hair flung about as her head collapsed back onto the blanket. He laughed at her antics and felt her arms tighten around him. Heaving forward he balanced on his elbows to look down at her.

Pink and yellow, warm and shiny, she was breath-taking. "I love you, Lucy." His words were true and so important. She smiled up at him and brought her hands to cup his face. "My silly dragonslayer, I love you."

If possible, his heart softened further at the honesty in her kiss. "I'm never gonna let you go, Natsu" she whispered against his lips.

"Good, because I'd just follow you," he replied. Soft and small and feminine (and smelling of him and her – absolutely extraordinary), she felt so good in his arms. Then he added, "Shower time?"

\- ] el fin [ -

* * *

A/N: Well, that's the story – it's complete! I can't believe it. I might update this with a random lemon or two that make sense in this story'verse (I'll put a notice in the summary if I do) but please don't have any expectations. I hope you guys liked this! I had so so much fun writing it. I love these characters and you all so much. _Thank you all for reading!_

j-mei : )


End file.
